Viventibus Mortem
by VioletIvoire
Summary: How does a decision made by Draco affect his father?
1. I Beginnings: The Rescue

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_Before anyone starts reading, I should warn that Ayame Sohma might be vastly out of character. I needed to write him that way because Hermione needed it to be that way...I hope you come to understand that if you continue reading after this warning…Oh, and this is a Lucius and Hermione pairing (^.^) thought you ought to know…_

_I should also tell you that I don't own anything (^.^) I can only wish I did :p_

* * *

_Now onto the story..._

* * *

_Beginnings:_

The room he was being held in was dark. The only light that entered was from the full moon hanging over the stars or the sun peeking out through the clouds during the day. He rested his restless body on the only bedding he was allowed…a straw mat. 'Hermione was right,' he thought to himself and sighed aloud to the empty room, no one to ask what he was sighing about or what was on his mind.

Family. That was what was currently on his mind. Not the family he was born into, the people who made up the family he could not help being a part of, but his surrogate family back in England. The Granger family. That was his true family. Then there was Yuki, his brother, the one that did not want him because of the mistakes he made toward him when they were younger.

He only allowed himself to shed a tear for that seemingly hopeless relationship. Thinking of his brother made him think again of Hermione, his sister in every way but blood, the one he would do anything for besides his brother, the one he should have listened to, whose advise he should have heeded and not come home to tell Akito-san that he was leaving the family. That was how he came to be in this room, filled with nothing but natural light, a straw mat, and the scarce daily meals they left by the barred windows. He could not leave the family it was forbidden. The 'God' had spoken.

He smiled to himself. After three months of unbearable heat, the weather was finally changing. The nights were becoming cold and soon he would change into his snake form. That meant he could escape soon. He could go home soon to be with the family who loved him. He silently wondered what they were doing at the moment. That was his last thought before his body finally succumbed to Morpheus's call.

HeArT*hEaRt

Hermione dreamed of that small dark room again, the one that reeked of loneliness and sometimes despair. This time there was hope and anticipation, but the feeling of loneliness was a constant. Then there was blood. Everywhere. On her hands, all over her clothes. She was awakened by the warmth of the loving arms that were wrapped around her, embracing her. That was when she realised her dream had changed from the lonely room to The Event, as she called it in her mind, that took place a month ago. That was the night she lost her parents.

"You're safe princess, no one is going to hurt you," the voice soothed. Hermione turned in her surrogate father's arms and silently cried. "I won't let anyone hurt you!" Kingsley whispered fiercely, unconsciously tightening his arms around Hermione.

"I heard screaming," Draco whispered from Hermione's bedroom door, Harry and Ginny coming up behind him. Kingsley looked up, giving them a sad smile, and carefully extracted himself from the now sleeping witch.

"Is she still not...?" Harry could not finish his question. He knew he would choke out the last word. Kingsley lightly squeezed his shoulder and shook his head.

"She did the most extraordinary thing today," Kingsley offered, closing the bedroom door behind him, but not letting it close fully. The three teenagers waited for him to continue. "She silently summoned a potion she had finished brewing earlier." They looked amazed, then sad.

"That means her magic is compensating," Draco said in a melancholy tone. Kingsley gave him a sad nod. "Is there not anything we can do?" He asked, hating how he almost sounded helpless.

"Maybe we can find her pet snake," Harry said after a few moments of silence. "They had an unusually close relationship," he commented. Draco did not bother to hide the fact that he was very interested in the Gryffindor Princess having a _snake_ familiar.

"Granger has a snake?" He asked, silently laughing at the irony. "What's his name?" Harry blushed and cleared his throat.

"I just know what it looks like," he mumbled. Draco and Ginny rolled their eyes.

"Well if we know what the snake looks like we can ask Order members to keep an eye out during missions," Kingsley suggested.

"That's a great idea," Ginny smiled.

"He's all white and has golden eyes," Harry described his best friend's familiar.

I The Rescue (A few months later)

Severus Snape had just finished filling and labelling the last phial of the Wolfsbane potion when he felt his rune burn and flare. He hissed in pain and ran out of his chambers, rushing to the nearest apparition point. The rune was letting him know that his bonded brother was in danger. He quickly sent a patronus off to Albus Dumbledore before touching his wand to the rune and apparating into the crumbling foyer of Malfoy Manor. He quickly set up a shield over his Godson and brother before the whole structure came crumbling down upon their heads.

He stood over his unconscious Godson and looked over to his brother, using Legilimency on him, and then taking in their surroundings. The Dark Lord had destroyed everything. Malfoy Manor was now just a pile of rubble. He kneeled next to Lucius Malfoy as he yelled in pain from the Dark Lord's last 'gift' to him.

Lucius Malfoy was a very proud wizard with a rich family heritage. He knew the beliefs his father taught him were leading him astray but he had wanted to please the man so desperately. In doing so, he also lost out on the opportunity to make true friends. He learned to rule his territory with fear, he learned that to be a pureblood and Malfoy was something to be proud of and everyone else was just dirt under his shoes. Perhaps the only good things that came out of Lucius's life were his son Draco and his bonded brother Severus Snape.

As he lay there on the marble floors of what had once been the main drawing room of his Manor, writhing, yelling in excruciating pain, he thought it odd how he never saw how much he could be compared to a dog. A beast trained to follow its master with its tongue hanging out of its mouth waiting to be ordered what to do, how to do it, when to do it.

He thought it remiss of him to not ask _why_. _Why_ should he follow his master's command? _Why_ should he stand there like a dog wagging its tail waiting for its next treat? Then being told 'good job old boy', and receiving a most wanted scratch behind an ear. _Why_ should he even subjugate himself to a master?

'_Never again_!' He yelled to himself and everything, everyone around him. Never again would he follow along like a dog. First, he was his father's dog, being trained to act the perfect pureblood heir, and then he was passed along to another 'master' to act on his training. '_Never again!_' He continued to repeat over and over again in his head as he was lifted and portkeyed away, blissfully passing out from the agony.

* * *

_Just to let everyone know, some chapters may be really short, some a good length, and most in between, but I will post another along with the short ones when it does happen…and there are sixteen chapters in all (^.^)_

_...and then there is the fact that I have __not__ reread the Fruits Basket manga in a while so please do __not__ judge too harshly! (^.^')_


	2. II The Curse

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_This is one of those really short chapters (^.^')...sorry..._

_I so wish I could own Lucius Malfoy, oh the fun we could have! However, I do not :p and J.K. Rowling does and she will not share with me :(_

* * *

II The Curse

"Never again! Never again!" The agonising yells reverberated around Grimmauld Place before Lucius Malfoy passed out from the hell sent pain coursing through his body. Order members ran from their various tasks and into the drawing room where they found Severus Snape administering the youngest Malfoy a pain potion.

"Severus?" Albus spoke up from the front of the gathered crowd in the drawing room entryway. Black beetle eyes looked up to meet the blue eyes of his mentor.

"The Dark Lord broke through Draco's Occlumency shields," he spoke quietly, but the gathered Order members still heard the man's voice over his Godson's moans of pain. "Lucius saved him by denouncing the Dark Lord but I am afraid he may be worse off than his son," he said gravely as he looked over at his close friend and brother passed out on the chaise. His pathetic whimpers let the potions master know the wizard was still in pain despite being unconscious. Severus's eyes moved to meet a raven-haired young man's emerald green eyes. "They are going to need Miss Granger to heal them," he spoke to the young man cautiously.

"No!" The ginger next to the green-eyed man yelled. "Hermione will not be healing Death Eaters!" He snarled at the now glaring dark wizard then looked at his former blond schoolmate apologetically. It had taken a while for the ginger Gryffindor and blond Slytherin to warm up to each other but now they were almost as close as Ron and Harry, for which Severus was thankful.

"Ginny and I will speak with her," Harry said softly, ignoring Ron's outburst as he and Ginny portkeyed away.

"Why do you need Hermione?" Remus Lupin asked the wizard as everyone watched him set the broken bones in Draco's arm and legs. Severus looked up at the group with a grim expression.

"From what I gathered in Lucius's mind the Dark Lord 'blessed' him with a last gift." Everyone flinched. A 'gift' from Lord Voldemort was highly undesirable. "He is the first test subject of a new potion the Dark Lord was secretly brewing. He calls it Viventibus Mortem, or The Living Death. His own sadistic variation to the Draught of Living Death."

"What is the potion supposed to do?" Fred and George asked, instantly becoming interested.

"He experiences a lower level Cruciatus curse, then his body will refuse any kind of sustenance, thus he will slowly deteriorate and weaken," the former potions professor said darkly. "The pain is not enough for him to loose his mind, but he will be fully aware of his state, knowing he is dying and there is nothing that can be done to help him." The group looked at the unconscious whimpering wizard with pity in their eyes, but his condition did not earn their sympathy.

"Hermione agreed," Ginny breathed out as she ran into the drawing room. Severus gave an acknowledging nod in relief and portkeyed away again with his surrogate family.

* * *

_Yes, I know this was very short. That is why I chose to post it after the first one..._


	3. III No Antidote

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I really wish I could own Ayame, along with Lucius of course (^.^) but I don't, and their creators are not willing to share (;_;) so I am just borrowing them for this short tale they wanted me to spin so they could dabble in each other's worlds (^.^)_

* * *

III No cure

A seemingly oblivious Hermione Granger sat in her large kitchen sipping on a hot cup of mint tea with Harry sitting across from her throwing a worried glance in her direction every few seconds. He sighed internally, missing the sound of his best friend's voice. It saddened him that she was broken, not by Voldemort or his Death Eaters, but by muggles.

"Miss Granger," a soft baritone voice called out in a gentle manner. Harry stood up from his chair, offering Hermione his hand, and led her into her family room to meet the potions master and her new patient. Hermione stood over the younger Malfoy, silently fussing over him in her own way, casting wordless diagnostic spells over him, then silently summoning potions from her cellar potion's lab. Severus looked at The-Boy-Who-Lived with an inquiring look.

"She can do it wandless too," Harry told him quietly. The dark wizard looked at the voluntarily mute witch in surprise. "She has been doing it for about seven months now," he said just as Severus was about to ask. They both watched the witch silently as she ran her diagnostic spells over the whimpering elder Malfoy and gave Severus a confused gaze.

"Viventibus Mortem," Severus said softly so as not to scare the witch with his usually loud voice that usually held a harsh tone, but he softened it just for her. "It works like the Cruciatus curse, but was made in the form of a potion," he summarized for her. She continued looking at him. "It is the Dark Lord's new variation of the Draught of Living Death...there is not an antidote yet."

The curly-haired witch brushed the sleeping wizard's blond hair aside as she looked across at him with a pained expression. The two dark-haired wizards silently observed the witch as she sat on her carpet and cried for the Death Eater, now former Death Eater turned traitor to the Dark. She summoned a small rack of potions from her lab and started mixing a small variety until she got a satisfying result. Severus sniffed the new potion Hermione handed him and gave her a small smile of approval.

"Is that a cure?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head sadly while she poured the potion into the unconscious wizard's mouth and massaged his throat to get him to swallow the liquid. Almost instantly, he stopped whimpering and visibly relaxed when he was finally able to achieve a new REM cycle.

"Father!" Draco yelled, sitting up abruptly from the settee he rested on. A look of horror crossed Hermione's face and she hurriedly crawled inside one of her Ottomans and closed the cushioned top. Severus was at his Godson's side in two strides while Harry attempted to console the frightened witch. She heavily warded her hiding space and the, now three wizards, spent over an hour attempting to coax the frightened witch out of her furniture.

"What in Merlin's name are you all doing?" Lucius Malfoy's hoarse voice carried to the three wizards as they lovingly soothed a rectangular piece of furniture. He raised an amused eyebrow at the bunch kneeling on the carpet. "I think the Dark Lord's curses did more damage to you than I first thought," he rasped out as he half-heartedly smirked at his son and brother.

The older blond jumped in surprise when the cushioned top of the furniture finally opened and Harry pulled out a grown girl, no, young woman, with brown, honey coloured, curly hair and cradled her in his lap as he offered her soothing words while rocking her. Lucius gave Severus and Draco a questioning look when they did not seem surprised at the scene playing out before the dark wizards. They continued ignoring him as they looked on at the raven-haired young man with worried frowns. What surprised him the most was his son gently taking the girl into his arms in the same manner as the Potter boy, rocking, and apologising to her as he lovingly cradled her.

"Not now Lucius," Severus said softly, surprising the blond with his unusually gently spoken words. He gave Lucius a stern look when the blond was about to move his lips again. Lucius promptly shut his mouth as he continued observing the odd scene playing out before him. After what seemed like hours observing this odd scene he buried his face in a throw pillow to stifle his small cries of pain that were slowly beginning to blossom from his bones.

He looked up to see the girl kneeling at his side, handing him a potion. He looked quizzically at her before realising who she was. "The mudblood!" He hissed harshly, giving her one of his famous glares. She instantly dropped the potion in alarm and attempted to climb back into the furniture but the wizards thwarted her attempt and the elder Malfoy quickly found that their best glares were reserved for him.

"Father!" "Lucius" The two darks wizards hissed at the now confused blond as he watched his brother soothe the newly acquired over-sized bundle delicately held in his arms. Harry gave the blond wizard a deadly glare and was inwardly happy with himself when he could have sworn the older wizard suppressed a shiver, even if it may have been a shiver from his pain.

"If you want a cure for your ailment, Mister Malfoy, I suggest you adjust your tone and attitude," Harry Potter spoke gently, his glare not matching his soft spoken words but his tone still held the promise of a threat. Lucius just looked on in hate and confusion as he bit back a whimper from the pain coursing through his body.

"Hermione, as young as she is, is a fully trained Healer and researched spells and potions to incurable illnesses. She is the best and highly successful in her field. I suggest you take Harry's advice father," Draco said, further surprising the already, more than once, surprised blond with his closeness to members of the Order. The elder Malfoy could not bite back the small moan of excruciating pain that flared through him.

He watched as the trembling girl slowly crawled over next to him again and started mixing potions. She handed the phial to Lucius with a trembling hand. When he chose to simply stare at her in inquiry as to the contents of the mixed potion she slowly backed away, fear shining in her honey brown eyes.

"He's fine Mione," Draco told her softly, guiding her back to his father. "He won't hurt you, I promise he won't." That surprised Lucius. This girl surprised him. What happened to her fire? Where was her fierce spirit he witnessed in the Department of Mysteries a few years back?

Lucius slowly reached for the phial then threw his head back, swallowing the contents in one gulp. He audibly sighed as he felt the pain receding. "Father," his son said gently but sternly. He looked over at him meeting another glare from him, his own son. "Do you not have something to say?"

Hermione tugged on Draco's lapels and shook her head as it rested on his shoulder. "Yes Hermione," he said firmly but softly, causing the girl to flinch slightly. "Father," Draco said again, but a little more firm as he held the girl, letting her know with his comforting actions that everything was all right.

"Thank you," Lucius finally said to her, and met with a disapproving look from his son and brother. "Thank you Miss Granger," he tried again to sound most sincere in his thanks. They both gave him a small nod and he internally rolled his eyes.

"It is best we get started on your tasks," Severus spoke to Harry quietly so the older blond would not overhear.

"I don't want to leave Hermione," Harry looked concerned as he eyed the elder Malfoy wizard with unguarded dislike and distrust. Draco patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"I will stay with them for a while," Draco offered.

"Don't be too long," Severus warned. "The sooner you three get this over with, the better." Draco and Harry nodded in agreement. Lucius watched as the girl gave Potter and Severus a kiss goodbye on their cheeks. Frankly, he was amazed that Severus allowed such affections from any woman. The beetle-eyed wizard just smirked at Lucius and lifted an eyebrow.

"If you need anything just use our rune," Severus said to him.

"What happened to her?" Lucius asked his son as soon as the two wizards left. Draco sent him a warning look. Lucius was silently amused at all the glares he was getting that day, though the glare that he reacted to most was the Dark Lord's, seconded by Harry Potter.

He followed his son and the girl towards the kitchen where she started preparing them dinner. Draco gave him another warning look as they sat in the dining room and Draco kept an eye on Hermione through the door-less doorway that looked into the large kitchen.

"A year ago," Draco spoke in a low voice, "three muggle criminals broke into Hermione's parents' home. It was the middle of the night." Draco sent Hermione's back a sympathetic glance. "In the memory she allowed Uncle Sev to pull from her...one of the men pulled Hermione out of bed. She could hear her parents screaming and begging as she was dragged into their bedroom by her hair."

"Muggles have a weapon called a gun," Draco glanced into the suddenly quiet kitchen again. "Hermione?" He called worriedly into the silent kitchen. She answered his call by carrying tea and biscuits out into the dining room and left again, but she was obviously cautious around the elder Malfoy.

"This gun," Draco started again when Hermione started making her usual preparation noises, "is like the Killing curse, except it makes a loud bang when it goes off and if it is aimed at the correct parts of the body, the person it is aimed at falls dead. The criminals made her watch as her parents begged and screamed as they tortured them in every unthinkable way and killed them with a gun before her very eyes."

"She is-" Draco shushed his father's loud voice. He gave his son an annoyed look but conceded to speaking in low tones. "She is a muggle-born and an important member of the Order. Was her house not warded?" Lucius tried not to sneer at the thought of neglecting the wards around someone's home that was so obviously valuable to the Light side.

"It was and is," Draco answered. "But the Order foolishly overlooked possible attacks from regular muggles. By the time they were alerted and got to Hermione there were only two thieves, and they had her stripped down to her knickers. Thankfully they didn't get farther than that," he muttered. Lucius looked at his son curiously. Draco's cheeks tinged pink. Lucius looked at the back of the girl as she moved about the kitchen making dinner.

"Why does she still live in this home if one _muggle_," Lucius spat the word as he would a curse, "got away?"

"I helped her sell that home and had her parents' office building rented out," Draco looked proud of himself. "I helped her buy this home and warded it for her before the Order conjured the usually necessary wards." Lucius did not know whether to be angry with his son for even associating with the mudblood or be proud that he was a bigger person than he was. He sighed internally and decided to be proud of his son.

"Is she going to be okay with just me here?" Lucius asked quietly. Draco also looked worried.

"Firstly," Draco began, "no yelling. If you want to talk to her, speak softly. Secondly, she is scared of anything loud. If she hears a big bang or any loud noise her favourite hiding spot is in that Otto's man in her potion's lab in the cellar." Lucius looked slightly amused at that last piece of information his son offered him. "She wards it like crazy so you have to beat her to the hiding spot or she may stay warded in there for days without food or water," he said pointedly.

"What is Otto's man?" Lucius asked curiously.

"It is that piece of furniture she warded herself in earlier. I think I should warn you that if _anything_," he emphasised, "were to happen to her under your watch the _whole_ Order will come down on you," he warned. "She is the Gryffindor princess after all," Draco smirked.

"Oh joy," Lucius muttered sardonically. "Am I not the one that is supposed to be looked after?" He sneered, and then sighed after a few seconds. "Is there anywhere else she might hide?"

"There are the Otto's men in the lab and drawing room," Draco said aloud to himself. "Ah, there is the wardrobe in the attic. So far those are the only places we find her hiding."

"She lives alone?" Lucius asked curiously.

"Yes." Lucius noticed the worried looks on his son kept sending the girl. Did he like the mud-err-muggle-born? "She kicks out anyone who tries to stay more than two nights here," he chuckled. "She got fed up with everyone taking turns staying with her so she warded herself in the wardrobe. It took the Order one week to find her! They agreed to give her, her space after that and she gratefully made us all portkeys but made a schedule of when we can visit and set each of her portkeys to that schedule, otherwise we apparate to her doorstep."

"What is your interest in the girl?" Lucius finally asked after letting the information about portkeys absorb into his thirsty brain.

"Oh this and that," Draco smirked at his father. Lucius sent his son a frosty glare, only getting a chuckle out of him. "I see her as a friend only," he finally said. "Our relationship is purely platonic."

Hermione carried some dishes out from the kitchen, carefully avoiding Lucius, always giving him a wide berth when she had to come near the Malfoy patriarch. Lucius looked at his son curiously.

"She hardly knows you father," Draco said when she was safely in the kitchen. Lucius sneered at him. "You have to show her that you don't mean her any harm and earn her trust."

"How am I supposed to live alone with her?" Lucius hissed quietly, being mindful of the easily frightened girl. Draco smirked at his father already minding the now always silent witch.

"Just be mindful of her and don't upset her too often," the young blond instructed. He was almost out of the dining room to offer his help to Hermione in setting the table when his father spoke.

"I am glad you are safe Draco," Lucius said softly as his son stood next to the chair he sat in.

"Thank you for sticking up for Uncle Sev and me," Draco gave his father a grateful smile.

"I would do more than betray the Dark Lord for you," Lucius spoke seriously. "A warning that you were also a spy would have been nice though. Now are there any other organisations you spy for?" He lightly joked.

"No, but I do sell magic goods to muggles," Draco lightly retorted, then laughed along with his father at his joke. Lucius watched as Draco and the girl set the table, a routine they seemed comfortable with performing. As soon as the dishes were set out, he eyed all the muggle dishes with disdain.

"What is this?" He sneered as the girl served him a portion of something that looked like cooked meat. She recoiled, dropping the plate in front of him with a loud clang as it hit the table. Draco was at her side in an instant, soothing the scared girl and glaring at the older wizard as he calmed her down with comforting words.

"What did you do?" A soft accusing voice spoke through the kitchen doorway.

"Father scared her again," Draco said to his Godfather. Severus glared at the wizard as he placed a large box on the end of the table.

"You should know Lucius, that you are a hot topic at headquarters," Severus spoke softly as he eyed the blond, his tone still holding the threat he wanted to project to his friend. "Many concerns are being aired about Hermione living alone with you and I have to say it is fun shooting down every one of those voiced concerns. Now I am wondering if I should just stay quiet." Lucius flinched internally at his friends words.

"I am very sorry Miss Granger," Lucius spoke softly to the witch in his son's arms. The apology felt odd coming out of his mouth and the taste of the words was acrid on his tongue. He stripped a portion of the cooked meat with his fork and hastily shoved it into his mouth, instantly knowing this was his new favourite dish as the flavours exploded on his tongue. "What is this dish called?" He asked politely.

"Roasted beef," Severus answered for the quiet witch. "Hermione has taken to improving her cooking skills in her free time." The witch blushed as she served the dark-haired man a plate.

"My compliments to the chef," Lucius gave her an approving smile as he forked and spooned more of the delicious food onto his plate.

"These are all the books I could find that may help you in finding an antidote," Severus said to the witch as he placed the box, which was situated next to his dinner plate, on the wooden floor. The witch gave him a false smile of thanks before leaving the dining room. Lucius looked curiously through the doorway to the kitchen when she took her time returning to the dinner table and the other two wizards did not look concerned at her long absence.

"She refuses company," Draco spoke sadly while looking down at his half-full plate then up at his father. "Don't be offended when you find breakfast ready and only one place setting at the table."

hEaRt*HeArT

Lucius was already settled in an armchair in the girl's small library when he felt a small poke in his shoulder. His delicious warm dinner had settled so nicely in his stomach that he did not realise he drifted off when he felt the small poke. He felt it again and slowly lifted his eyes to see the girl quickly backing away. When she was sure he was finally awake, she motioned for him to follow her.

He curiously followed as she led him up the stairs and stopped at the entrance to a large bedroom, opening the door and motioning for him to follow her inside. She pointed to an open door that led into a bathing room and opened a closed door that was full of clothes, the closet. She started taking the clothes off the hangers. Lucius moved to help her when she recoiled, dropping the clothes in her arms.

"I just wanted to help Miss Granger," the wizard said softly as he slowly started to pick up the clothes that now lay at their feet. Hermione kept her distance but started helping him pick up her mess, then left with her large bundle of clothes. He followed her into another room where she started hanging up the man and woman's clothing inside an empty closet. 'These are her parents' clothing,' he realised as he stared at the girl while she delicately handled the clothing.

Once Lucius was back inside his assigned bedroom he looked around realising the girl had given him the master's bedroom. He turned to his bedroom door just as Hermione pushed a folded parchment under the door and into his bedroom. He crossed the room to pick up the parchment and unfolded it to find a note addressed to him.

_Mister Malfoy,_

_I will have breakfast ready at six-thirty am tomorrow morning. It will be eggs, toast and bacon. Please let me know if you would like something extra or prefer something different and I will provide it if I have it. You may leave a note on the fridge with times you usually takes your meals and what your favourite dishes are. I have owled and asked Draco to provide you with essentials. The bathing room is currently stocked with the basics but they are muggle products. He promised to be hasty in collecting your preferred toiletries and essentials. For now, I have stocked the medicine cabinet with your potion. Take one phial twice daily until I find an antidote. It is very important that you do not miss a dose until then._

_H. Granger_

'What in Merlin's name is a fridge?' The blond wizard asked himself as he searched the upstairs rooms for the girl. He discovered her room and found it was empty so included his search to the rooms downstairs. Lucius was beginning to become worried when he did not find the girl anywhere and was going to look for her in her hiding places when he heard movement in the entry hall.

Lucius pulled out his wand as he quietly turned the corner and saw the back of the witch before she left through the front door. 'Where would the girl be going at this late hour?' he asked himself. He placed a disillusionment charm on himself and quietly began to follow Hermione as she walked through the streets and came to a dark playground. He watched and listened as she lay on the freezing ground and started humming a muggle tune, or he figured it was muggle, as he had not heard it on the Wizarding Wireless.

His wand was instantly in his hand when a white snake started poking its head out between some bushes. Hermione suddenly stopped humming and smiled at the snake. Suddenly the girl and the snake launched themselves at each other. Lucius was about to stun the snake but stopped because the girl was in the way. He was surprised when the snake did not bite her but draped itself around her neck and started butting her face with its mouth and she responded by silently laughing and twirling with the snake.

A soft wind blew and the snake's head snapped in his direction. Hermione stiffened when she noticed the snake smelling the air around them and started hissing in his direction. Her wand was in her hand as the snake crawled down into her blouse and they became invisible with her disillusionment charm. He knew she was gone the second he heard the whoosh of a portkey so he apparated to the edge of her home's wards and silently made his way inside through the front door.

"Miss Granger," Lucius said softly to the girl when he found her in the library. She turned and eyed the wizard warily. "I do not know what a fridge is or where the medicine cabinet is located in my bathroom." Hermione's cheeks were tinged in pink as she motioned for the wizard to follow her to the kitchen and pointed to a large silver box that was taller than she was and almost taller than the wizard, but definitely wider then the two of them if they were to stand next to the other.

"What is your familiar's name?" Lucius eyed the white snake poking its head out of the front of the girl's jumper. Its forked tongue left its mouth while smelling the air around the wizard and turned back to the witch laughing in its own way. Hermione smiled at the snake and frowned at the wizard as she led him upstairs into his bathing room and slid his large mirror open to reveal shelves of muggle products and his potions.

"Are you not going to reprimand me?" He asked the girl as she moved to vacate his room. Hermione paused, but did not turn. The smiling snake poked its head over her shoulder, bobbing its head up and down as it silently laughed.

Lucius lifted an eyebrow in amusement at the whole scenario. The girl had a snake familiar, a symbol of his dear Slytherin house, and the snake was answering for the silent witch as if it understood everything that was happening and understood every word said. As soon as she closed his bedroom door, he could not help but laugh.

He laughed at the seemingly intelligent snake. He laughed at his betrayal of the Dark Lord. He laughed at his dear ex-wife who left him to rot under the Dark Lord's ruling of his, their lives. He laughed because he was now free and it was with thanks to his son and Severus being found out as spies for the Order.

HeArT*hEaRt

Hermione panicked when she heard the laughter coming out of the bedroom she just quit. She ran up the attic, warding herself into an oversized armoire that the previous owners of the home must have left behind.

"Little lion?" The snake spoke. "I can hear your hear beating faster than a drum," he said as he lightly poked her face with his. "What has you so afraid?" He asked, rubbing the top of his head under her chin.

After minutes of soothing her, though he did not know why she was so afraid, Hermione finally dissolved the wards she set on the wardrobe. She gently set the snake down on a bed with a heating charm placed on it and around the room, leaving him with a peck atop his head and a small smile. After the warmth of the heating charm allowed his cold body to transform into his normal self, he dressed and sought out his unusually quiet sister.

"Hermione?" He opened the door to the only room that could only be hers in this small three bedroom home. "Are you awake?" He whispered. He frowned when she turned in her bed and gave him what was supposed to be an encouraging smile. She nodded and patted the open space next to her. He crossed her room and set a few pillows between them before lying down next to her.

"Are you upset with me?" He asked, giving her a sad smile. She shook her head and placed a hand on his cheek. "Where are Sophia and Edward?" He asked after his surrogate parents, placing his hand over hers and giving it a gentle squeeze when a tear slid down her cheek, then another, and another. He embraced her with the pillows between them when she quietly sobbed into his shoulder, wishing he could offer her his warmth and fully comfort her.

"What has you so upset?" He asked when her tears stopped running down his neck. "Please talk to me," he quietly pleaded, frowning when she did not answer. He slowly pulled back to find that she had cried herself to sleep.

hEaRt*HeArT

Lucius awoke to a knock at his door. He grumbled, slowly crawling out of his bed to open the door. His son stood there glaring at him. He ignored him for the time being and made his way to the medicine cabinet to take a potion for his pain.

"What did you do?!" Draco hissed at his father as soon as he closed the bedroom door. Lucius just stared at his son with a blank expression. Draco sighed and handed him a cup of tea. The older wizard drank and spit it up.

"What is the meaning of this?!" He demanded as he wiped the cold tea from his lips.

"That is what I would like to know," Draco said as he crossed his arms and continued glaring. "I do hope you enjoy your breakfast," he smirked. "It is also cold and Hermione charmed the food not to react to heating charms. So unless you apologise for whatever you did or learn how to work muggle appliances you'll have to enjoy cold food for however long she decides to punish you."

Lucius sneered at his son then sighed, "She went out late last night so I followed her under a disillusionment charm."

"She did what?!" Draco yelled and left the room muttering under his breath.

"What did he do?" Harry asked, glaring at the older blond following his son down the stairs.

"He followed Hermione last night when she left," Draco spoke softly as he looked at the lightly blushing witch. Harry turned to Hermione as she looked down at her cream coloured carpet with a sheepish expression. "It was late. What were you thinking Hermione?" Draco asked gently. Hermione sniffed as a white head poked up from her blouse laughing at the wizards.

"_She found you_," Harry hissed as he smiled down at the snake. The snake nodded as it hissed back.

"_I noticed she does not speak to anyone. What happened while I was away?_" The snake asked. "_I looked for her at home but she wasn't there and there was police tape everywhere for a while. I waited for her everyday at the playground and she finally came for me last night._"

"_A lot has happened_," Harry answered sadly. "_I'm afraid her not being able to leave the house is our fault. Last night was the first night we left her seemingly unattended and she slipped out under Mister Malfoy's watch...not that he knew to watch her_," Harry frowned at himself for not informing the elder Malfoy to watch over Hermione.

"_She lost her parents in a home invasion and was forced to watch __everything__. We got there in time to save her from the same fate but not in time to save her parents_," Harry tried not to let his tears show in front of Hermione. "_She hasn't said a word since that night_."

The snake hissed and spat in anger, Harry lightly blushing at the words coming from the usually docile snake, and then watched as he pecked Hermione's face lovingly. "_I'm here now_," the snake said to the witch even though she could not understand. "_Aya's here now_," he hissed sadly.

"_So Aya is your name?_" Harry asked.

"_Ayame is my full name_," the snake seemed to smile as he rubbed the top of his head across Hermione's cheek.

"That is just...amazing," Draco chuckled when the hissing stopped. Harry blushed. "I haven't heard you speaking Parseltongue since our second year. I wanted to tell you then but..." his words drifted off.

"Well you told me now," Harry smiled at his friend. "The past is the past and we should leave it there." Draco nodded in agreement. "You already know his name don't you?" Harry asked Hermione. She nodded and gave him one of her false smiles as she led them into the dining room for their breakfast.

"Hermione," Harry said as he gave her a stern look. She rolled her eyes but waved her wand over the breakfast plates. "Hermione," Harry said gently but sternly.

She frowned at him but held out her hand, palm face down, to the elder Malfoy. Lucius reached out to take what she held in her hand and looked down at the small blue muggle flower she dropped into his palm. He looked up at a smirking witch who made sure he noticed as she turned and left the dining room for the kitchen, the snake quietly laughing at him in its own way as they quit the room. Harry and Draco looked at the small blue flower snickering, and then full out laughing, Harry because of the name of the flower and Draco because it was a muggle flower.

"What is this called?" Lucius asked the young wizards as he fought the urge to vanish or crush the delicate petals of the _muggle_ plant.

"The flower is called Forget-Me-Not," Harry chuckled and Draco began laughing again. Lucius glared at the doorway in which the silent witch exited.

"What's going on here?" Severus asked, joining two mirthful wizards and one silently fuming wizard at the breakfasting table.

"Hermione went out late last nig-" Harry began.

"She did what?!" Severus hissed quietly, interrupting Harry but being ever mindful of Hermione's delicate state of mental well-being.

"Mister Malfoy followed her," Harry continued, "and Hermione found out and charmed breakfast to remain cold. When Draco and I found out we made her apologise and she gave him a muggle flower." Severus smirked at that and Lucius showed him the blue forget-me-not still mocking him as it sat so innocently in his palm.

"You do know what that flower means?" The potions master asked as Hermione entered with a hot plate of food for him.

"Of course we do not Severus, so why do you not enlighten us," Lucius drawled sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"The meaning of a forget-me-not is true or faithful love, constancy, undying hope," Severus smirked at the stunned witch who was suddenly blushing and rushing for the nearest exit as two young wizards snickered at her reaction. Lucius openly laughed and discreetly placed the flower under a preserving charm, planning to pin it onto one of his lapels later just to have a little fun with the girl.

A little while later Hermione came back into the dining room to set up another place setting and looked at the wizards pointedly. Lucius looked at the empty spot curiously.

"Is she planning to join us?" Lucius asked when she left the room again.

"It means that I am planning to join you all," Kingsley smiled as he took the open seat at the breakfasting table. Lucius hid his surprise at the brown and grey streak that ran from the kitchen and into Kingsley's waiting arms. "How is my little princess?" He asked as she burrowed further into his warm embrace.

"Busy," Hermione answered very quietly, her voice would have been mistaken for a small breeze if they had been outdoors. Lucius looked to the other wizards who continued eating and observing the duo, and Harry, who looked down at his plate with a melancholy expression.

"I thought she didn't talk," he whispered quietly to his son. Draco frowned at Kingsley and Hermione as he talked and she listened.

"She'll only talk for him," he whispered back. "But he can only get short answers," he added.

"What is their relationship?" Lucius asked his son curiously. Draco looked back at his father with interest but it was Severus who answered.

"He was the first to reach Hermione and rescue her. She clings to him as a daughter does to her father. That is the extent of their relationship," Severus said. Kingsley looked over to the elder Malfoy pointedly when he over heard Severus's comments. "He is also the one you will answer to if anything were to upset her," he hinted. "Along with Mister Potter and the rest of the Order of course."

* * *

_(^.^)_


	4. IV Missing Potions and Intruders

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I don't own anything :p I can only wish I did_

* * *

IV Missed Potion

Lucius growled in frustration as he read the titles of the books lining the girl's shelves in her small library. 'Muggles titles, the lot of them,' he inwardly sneered. 'Every single book in this damned forsaken library is a muggle book.' He had to push back the desire to _Reducto_ every single book, tome, and volume in that room.

The distraction of a small tug on his sleeve was what brought him out of his dearest desire to set that room afire. He almost mistook the small tug for a thread on his sleeve coming loose and catching on a stained glass lampshade, but then he felt it again and turned to see the girl step back quickly. He smirked to himself and touched his lapel, removing the small disillusionment charm on the flower the girl gave him the other day, and smirked openly when she did a double take and looked, obviously fighting back a blush.

"Did you need something Miss Granger?" He asked innocently. She glared up at him and left him chuckling in the library.

His tea was cold at dinner. Every attempt he made to warm it up was thwarted by some spell, charm, or hex.

He growled when he saw that blasted snake looking at him from across the table silently laughing at him, its golden eyes gleaming with mirth. Just when he thought to curse the smile off that blasted familiar the girl walked in to pick the snake up and sent a smirk his way before leaving him to eat his warm dinner and drink his cold tea in his seething silence. Oh how he was seething inside! He was just itching to use the Cruciatus curse on that mocking snake in that moment.

Finally, he finished his dinner and quit the dinning room, stomping up to his room to prepare for bed as he muttered angry comments to himself. A knock on the bedroom door interrupted his thoughts as he dried his hair in the bathroom mirror. He opened the door to find a steaming cup of tea floating in front of him with a small note on the side of the saucer.

_One should not go to bed angry Mister Malfoy it is the main ingredient for nightmares. Thought you might like a hot cup of tea before bedtime. It is honey tea. -H. _

Lucius found his thoughts drifting back to his childhood while he sat in an armchair facing the window, silently sipping on his tea. He remembered his favourite elf, Thyme, would always bring him a warm cup of honey tea when he would have a nightmare, then the elf would tuck him in and he would sleep peacefully after that. As he drifted off into a peaceful sleep he could not remember the last time he had that tea and was silently thankful to Hermione for the welcomed trip down nostalgia lane.

He did not know why he suddenly woke up. He glanced at the muggle clock on his bedside table and groaned when he saw he had only slept an hour. Downstairs, the crash of glass meeting a hard surface and a yell was how he realised that had been the reason he had awakened so abruptly. He quickly grabbed his wand he always had tucked under his pillow, quickly and quietly making his way downstairs.

"You were a hard girl to find," the intruder said as he pinned Hermione's wrists to the wall. "I _always_," he emphasised this as he squeezed her wrists tighter and pushed them more painfully against the wall, "find my prey. How unfortunate for you though," he said softly as he ran a finger down her cheek, collecting the salty tears that ran down her cheek. He licked the salty water from his finger and smirked. "Tasty, just as I am sure this is!" He said as he grabbed her bum and ground himself against her.

"Enough of that!" Lucius yelled, brandishing his wand, fuming inside at the muggle's audacity to violate, or even thinking about touching a _witch, _particularly this witch. The man just grinned down at Hermione and smirked at the wizard. "How did you get in here?!" Lucius demanded an answer.

"You didn't tell me you had company girl. I'll just have to take care of that," he smirked, pulling out a weapon from his coat pocket with his free hand and cocked the hammer on the handgun.

"NO!" Hermione yelled, bringing her knee up painfully into his groin. The man groaned in pain as a bullet left the chamber of the weapon but missed the desired target by centimetres. He released his hold on her wrists and dropped his weapon as he crumpled to the floor holding his delicate area in pain. Hermione crawled over to the handgun just as he grabbed her ankle and tugged her back. Lucius mentally shook off the thought of how close he came to death and stunned the man before he could do any more damage then ran to Hermione, allowing her to hold onto him tightly.

"Are you alright?" Lucius asked, feeling her hold on his person tighten and felt as his shirt started to cling to his skin as it became soaked with her tears. He internally growled down at the intruder for daring to mess with someone superior to his own kind. He silenced the muggle while he held Hermione and woke him up with a silent _Crucio_. Lucius grinned as the muggle's back arched off the ground, as he screamed silently, then looked up at the wizard with wide eyes filled with terror when the curse was released. Lucius touched a rune on his right wrist then sent another Cruciatus curse the muggle's way when he was sure Hermione had her face buried in his neck.

"What's going on here?" Severus demanded, running into the sitting room and seeing his friend torturing a silenced muggle. Lucius lifted the curse to tighten his embrace and prevent Hermione from running.

"Look at him," was all Lucius said to Severus as he comforted the frightened witch in his arms. Severus suddenly growled and trained his wand on the muggle who looked at the three people in ever growing horror.

"Is that the one?" Draco demanded from behind Severus. Lucius noticed the Potter boy next to his son. "Is Hermione alright?" Draco asked when he noticed her clinging to his father for dear life.

"He had her pinned to the wall," the elder Malfoy growled. "I can't see her wrists but I am sure she's bruised." Draco and Harry's eyes narrowed at the intruder.

"_Crucio_!" Draco hissed, cursing the man again while Harry looked on with a pained expression, but did nothing to stop the torture.

"Take her upstairs," Harry said softly to Lucius when Hermione let out a small audible sob.

"Ironic," Severus said to the intruder as soon as he heard a door close upstairs. "The one who could save your life tonight was just taken from this room," he drawled, the muggle's eyes growing wider with fear as the potions master's words were registered. He silently begged. "I want to hear you beg," Severus drawled as he removed Lucius's silencing charm and set silencing wards to ensure Hermione would not hear what was going to happen.

"Please!" the man said hoarsely.

"Please what?" Severus asked mockingly.

"Please let me go!" he pleaded in a small voice. Severus laughed in amusement and cursed him again.

"Leave," Draco said to Harry as screams filled every corner of the silenced room. "You don't want to witness this," he said to him. Harry understood and went upstairs to find Hermione.

"Let you go?" Severus asked as he pretended to consider the man's request. When he looked up at him hopefully, Severus gave him a cruel twisted smile. "Why would I do that when Hermione's parents asked the same thing of you?" The muggle let out a sob with those words.

"Here," Draco said when he noticed the weapon his Godfather had shown him in a muggle picture. Severus took the gun and looked at it with a sneer.

"Killing you with your own weapon is too good for you!" Severus hissed.

"Way too good for him," a new voice agreed. Severus and Draco turned to see Kingsley standing in the doorway between the entry hall and sitting room. "As an Auror I should stop this, obliviate the muggle, and turn him in to their authorities...but as Hermione's friend-"

"Father figure," Draco smirked at him. Kingsley just smiled.

"I see nothing here," Kingsley continued. "Just don't finish your business in Hermione's home," he requested. "I'm going to check the wards. Can you recheck them when you finish Severus?" He asked, turning his back on the scene.

"Another person who could have saved you just chose not to," Severus smirked down at the crying piece of filth occupying space on Hermione's carpet. "That should tell you something about yourself."

"Please!" He yelled hoarsely after Kingsley, who ignored him and continued on his way.

"I'm taking him to my dungeons," Severus said as he silenced, stunned, and levitated the unconscious lump to the fireplace. "I'll be back in a few minutes to make sure Hermione is alright and redo the wards myself." Draco nodded.

"I'm going to do my own check on the wards," Draco said to Severus who just nodded before flooing away.

HeArT*hEaRt

"How are you?" Lucius looked down in surprise at the girl when he heard her soft voice and bit back a groan of pain that coursed through his entire body. She pushed back his hair and looked up at him worriedly when he looked down at her with his pained eyes.

"Your potion?" She whispered so low he barely heard it.

"I forgot," Lucius said softly. She held him tighter before crawling out of his lap and running to his room. Lucius closely followed to make sure she did not run to one of her hiding spots. Hermione came out of his bathroom with a phial and hastily motioned for him to take it. He threw his head back, swallowing the contents in one gulp and frowned when the potion did nothing for his pain.

"No," Hermione whispered, holding onto him again while he let out a groan of pain and she cried. "I'm sorry," she whispered into his neck.

"It is not your fault," he said softly as he sat them in the armchair by his window. "No it's not," Lucius said in a stern tone when Hermione just nodded that it was. "No," he said quietly. "It is mine. I should have remembered. The potions are in my room after all," he whispered reassuringly as he ran his fingers through her soft curls, almost mesmerised by their silkiness.

"You saved my life," he stated. Hermione stood silently in his lap. "Why?" He asked. "I have tried to take your life away before, yet you save mine," he whispered, unconsciously holding her tighter to himself, becoming lost in her warmth.

"Draco needs you," Hermione whispered below his ear. Lucius groaned with the sensation of her breath on his neck but passed it off as the pain he was currently experiencing, which was becoming more unbearable by the second.

"Hermione," Harry called softly as he entered the room. Hermione looked up at him as he slowly walked towards her and Lucius. "Are you okay?" He asked worriedly as he kneeled next to the armchair Lucius and she sat in. Hermione just nodded but started crying and held tightly to Lucius as she once again buried her face into his neck, soaking his skin in her tears. "It doesn't seem like you are," he commented.

Hermione turned towards Harry, her head resting on the older wizard's shoulder and whispered, "Mister Malfoy forgot his potion." Harry looked back in surprise that she actually spoke to him, his eyes warming with joy then filling with worry.

"Is that bad?" Harry asked when he gathered himself. Hermione nodded. "What will happen?" He asked.

"Pain," Hermione answered. Harry frowned and looked up at the older wizard whose face was starting to show his struggles with keeping a straight face and the beads of sweat collecting on his brow.

"Perhaps Mister Malfoy would be more comfortable in his bed," Harry suggested to Hermione. She frowned at her thoughtlessness and climbed out of the wizard's lap again, pulling him towards his bed. "How are you doing so far Mister Malfoy?" Harry asked politely.

"It is becoming unbearable," he answered hoarsely. Hermione stood up from his bedside abruptly.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked as she ran from the room and was back seconds later and sat at the wizard's side.

"I am going to put you under stasis," she said to him quietly. Lucius nodded in understanding.

"I give you permission," he answered. Hermione nodded and stood over him waving her wand chanting, almost singing, incantations. A few minutes later, she fell to the floor in silent tears.

"Hermione!" Harry rushed to her side, holding her while she cried.

"What's going on here?" Draco asked when he entered the bedroom to see his father sleeping, Hermione crying, and Harry holding her on the floor next to the bed. He had a bad feeling about the scene he was witnessing and suddenly felt fear for his father overtake him.

"Draco," Hermione whispered. He looked down at her in surprise and rushed to her side. Hermione held onto him and Harry. "I had to put him under stasis," she whispered softly after a few minutes. Draco pulled back from the embrace with a sigh of relief but worry filled his entire being.

"Why?" He asked quietly as he held back his anger. He wanted to hurt that muggle for causing all of this mess.

"He forgot to take a potion," Harry answered after a pregnant silence. "It was becoming harder for him to bear the pain and the potion Hermione made stopped working." Draco wanted to kill for the second time that day. The price against Voldemort's head had just risen in his mind.

"How long will he be under?" Draco asked quietly.

"I am almost close to finding an antidote," Hermione whispered, then pulled Harry and Draco up with her and out of the bedroom towards the staircase. Harry looked over to Draco worriedly.

"They're gone," he whispered low enough for him to hear but not loud enough for Hermione to overhear him. Harry looked relieved and allowed Hermione to continue leading them down the stairs and into her library.

"What's this?" Harry asked as he looked at the stack of parchments Hermione handed him. She rolled her eyes and motioned for him to read it.

"You found them all!" Harry looked up at her in surprise. She smiled back at him. He laughed and kissed her cheek when he realised her smile was not the false smile she usually gave everyone, but a real one.

"What did she find?" Draco asked, snatching a parchment out of Harry's hand.

"The horcruxes," Harry answered. Draco looked up from the parchment in confusion.

"That term sounds familiar," he said as he thought about where he heard it then looked at the duo in horror.

"Yes," Harry said. "He made seven of them and we found and destroyed four already. That means it's time," he looked at Hermione meaningfully. Hermione touched Harry's cheek and looked up at him with worry. "I'll be fine 'Mione," he said softly, looking down at her with a gentle expression. "You need to stay here and find a cure for Mister Malfoy."

She looked down sadly and nodded her acquiescence. Harry brought her chin up with his index finger. "You are a strong witch," he said softly. "Never doubt that. Right now, you need to be here for Draco and his father. Draco will come with Ron and me to gather them." She threw her arms around Draco and Harry.

"Please be safe," she whispered before laying a kiss on each of their foreheads.

"We will," Draco said firmly. "I promise we will."

* * *

_..._


	5. V Research and Theories

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I would love to write that I have rights to Harry Potter and Fruits Basket...but I don't own a thing (;_;)_

* * *

_** Please Heed the M Warning!**..._

* * *

V The Cure

"Hermione!" Ginny called softly but urgently, running to and fro about the house looking for her friend. Hermione waited patiently in the library for Ginny to find her. "I never remember to look here first," the redheaded girl smiled then turned serious. "The boys are missing," she reported. Hermione just stared at her with a sad knowing look and took Ginny's hands in hers as she led her into the kitchen.

"You know where they are," Ginny stated, watching the unsurprised but worried witch gathering cups, saucers, and a tin filled with tealeaves while the water heated. Hermione turned to her with sad eyes. "Where?" Ginny asked softly. Hermione shook her head and looked down at the tealeaves sadly. Ginny took her hands, giving her a pleading look when Hermione looked back at her with tears in her eyes.

"She doesn't know," a voice said from the small breakfast table in the kitchen. Ginny whipped out her wand, turning to the owner of the voice.

"Who are you?" Ginny demanded quietly. Hermione pulled her wand down and shook her head when Ginny turned to her and walked her over to the stranger and grabbed his hand.

"This is Ayame," Hermione said very softly. Ginny looked back at her in surprise and squealed, scaring Hermione who attempted to run.

"I'm sorry!" Ginny said quietly, pulling Hermione back and hugging her while whispering soothing words to calm her down. Hermione stopped struggling after a few minutes and began to hug her back. "It is just us 'Mione," she reassured her in a soothing tone. Hermione nodded then moved her head away from Ginny's shoulder to look at Ayame and squeezed his hand lightly.

"This is Ginny," she whispered to the white-haired man. Ginny smiled widely at her trying not to squeal in excitement.

"Say something else!" Ginny demanded softly as she continued smiling. Hermione looked back with tear-filled eyes.

"I don't know," she said quietly. Ginny's smile slowly turned into a frown as she came to realise the meaning of her words.

"All they told Hermione before leaving was that they would come home safely and hopefully in one piece," Ayame said quietly to Ginny, instilling the humour of their words into his with a small smile. "A week later you are here looking for them," he added a moment later.

"You haven't seen them in a week?" Ginny asked, frowning at the thought of no one coming to check up on her friend. Hermione shook her head as quiet tears fell down her cheeks. Ginny lovingly brushed them away.

"They are fine love," Ginny soothed her. "I'm sure wherever they are they are just fine." Hermione gasped and touched her palm to Ginny's stomach. "What?" Ginny asked. Hermione grabbed her hand and Ginny felt Hermione's magic flow through her.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked, and then gasped when she felt it. Hermione smiled widely at her. "I'm..." she drifted off suddenly smiling.

"What?" Ayame asked, frowning. Hermione grabbed his hand and let her magic flow through him as his palm lay over Ginny's flat stomach. "Congratulations," he smiled, already planning baby necessities as Ginny laughed and started planning colours along with him.

"How come I have never met you before?" Ginny asked him after a pause in their continuous banter.

"He's been away," Hermione answered softly before Ayame could answer. "He's family." Ginny smiled at him and Hermione and allowed Ayame to continue the conversation once again while Hermione smiled at them and nodded or shook her head with their questions.

"I still can't believe this," Ginny smiled as she ran her hand over her flat stomach. Hermione pulled her wand out and ran a few diagnostic spells while smiling to assure her that she was healthy and so was the baby. The last spell Hermione cast Ginny almost lost her battle with trying not to squeal out loud. "That's the baby?" She pointed to the little moving dot that Hermione's wand projected on the kitchen wall.

"Yes," Hermione smiled, and then gave her a questioning look. Ginny smiled and nodded at her and the dot in the projection turned blue. Ginny suddenly squealed and grabbed Hermione, wrapping her into a warm embrace.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She said to the struggling girl while Ayame laughed at the scene and waited for Hermione to calm. Then she groaned, which confused Hermione. "Mum said breast feeding hurts and takes some getting used to," Ginny frowned then blushed when she remembered Ayame was in the room. Hermione blinked, then blinked again, her brows furrowing in thought.

"I know that look," Ginny grinned. "Mum is going to stop by sometime soon to make sure you are not starving yourself and that Mister Malfoy is still under stasis," Ginny rolled her eyes at the end. "She still doesn't trust him after he saved you from-" Ginny hurriedly closed her mouth. Hermione just offered her a faint smile and walked her to the floo a little while later.

"I'll be looking for mice in the garden," Ayame smiled, walking out into the icy cold morning. Hermione smiled at his back and went to the library to search through the books Severus brought her whenever he could for her research, with a theory in mind.

HeArT*hEaRt

Hermione nervously paced the library after hours and hours of reading through books in her library. During her search for a cure for Mister Malfoy she developed and built on a theory Ginny unknowingly helped her form, but the subject upstairs was under stasis and if she removed it and her hypothesis was wrong he would be in more pain and they would have to wait at least a day to put him under again. If the theory she built on from her research was correct then after Lucius Malfoy had partaken of the antidote, he would be cured.

Hermione continued to blush while she looked over her parchments yet again. She gathered them up, along with her courage, and made her way upstairs. Her cure seemed to be solid in theory, but that was just theory for now. She looked down at Mister Malfoy and wondered if she was brave enough to go through with the procedure.

She silently cursed Voldemort for inventing that horrible potion. Then she was upset that Ginny could not be the one who could possibly cure Mister Malfoy. That girl would love to be in Hermione's position right about now but she was two years too late...or Mister Malfoy was. Either way Hermione was the only candidate that could administer the antidote to the ailing wizard and she was extremely nervous as she chanted and waved her wand over him, removing the stasis charms from his body. He groaned and looked up at her.

"What happened?" He asked hoarsely. "I gave you permission to put me under stasis."

"I did," Hermione said softly, handing him the parchments she wrote her research and theory on, trying not to blush as he took the parchments from her. Lucius sat up against the headboard as he read over her research, his face turning just a little more pink with each word. By the time he finished Hermione's face was as red as his.

"You're the only one who can do this aren't you," he stated, biting back a whimper from the growing pain in his body that emanated from his bones. He pulled her down onto the bed next to him. "Do it." Hermione took a deep breath with her eyes closed and started unbuttoning her blouse, her hands shaking violently.

"Your research says you have to be willing to give the antidote freely," Lucius said quietly. Hermione stopped on the last button and looked at him, then pulled her blouse off.

"I'm just nervous," she said quietly. He fought with himself not to roll his eyes, because according to her and her research, only freely given milk from a virgin would be able to cure him.

"Have you ever been kissed...Hermione," he asked, choosing to address her by her first name. Hermione looked down at his duvet, fighting not to blush more than she already was.

"Once," she answered. Lucius lifted her head with his index finger and looked down at her, taking in the colour of her eyes. They almost looked golden, but they were a light brown with millions of golden flecks.

Hermione gasped when he brought his head down and laid his lips over hers. He slowly moved them together, almost as if he was massaging them, then lightly bit her lower lip and slid his tongue into her mouth. Hermione suddenly pulled back when she felt her bra come undone. He pulled her close again, kissing her as he pushed the straps down her arms and removed the garment.

"Do it," he said softly, his lips hovering, brushing over hers. It took a few seconds for her take in those two words while she caught her breath. She pointed her wand at her bare chest.

"_Vivicare!_" She said in a strong but sure voice and gasped at the sudden, almost painful fullness of her breasts. Lucius kissed her lips lightly one more time before lowering his head and sucking the milk from a full breast. Hermione flinched at the small pain but it became soothing as Lucius slowly emptied her breast of its milk. She had to bite back a small moan when he began using the tip of his tongue to flick her nipple as he suckled. He lowered her onto the bed as he moved onto her other breast to empty that one of its milk and she could not hold back a mewl when he started kneading her emptied breast as he sucked on the other.

"What are you doing?" She whispered when she came to a coherent thought and found his hands were pulling on her jeans. He sucked harder on her breast, making her gasp and mewl with the small pain of the milk rushing to quickly leave into his mouth as he greedily swallowed it.

"I have to have you," he said, pushing his pyjama trousers down, grinding his hips against her bare skin. He growled softly at the sensation then lifted her legs to his hips and sliding his length back and forth between her folds. "So wet," he breathed as he slowly began to enter her tight channel, and then reached her barrier. He kissed her, swallowing her scream as he broke through and held himself still.

"Shit," he whispered, trying to gain control of himself, relishing in how good it felt to be inside her. Hermione moved her hips and gasped at the sensation. "Are you ready?" Lucius asked, moving in and out a little at a time. His eyes rolled back in pleasure. He moved a little faster when she moaned and he started thrusting in and out harder and faster when her walls started fluttering.

"Let go," he said softly before kissing her, swallowing her scream of pleasure. He thrust through her release before releasing himself inside her, his hips keeping her pinned to the mattress. He groaned in pleasure as his hot semen completely filled her, her walls fluttering around him. She mewled softly when he slowly pulled out and dropped onto the bed exhausted but sated.

He rolled onto his side and pulled Hermione to his chest, kissed her behind her ear and whispered, "Thank you." Hermione looked up at him, giving him a small smile before her eyes went wide.

"Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley's voice carried up to them from the bottom of the stairs. Hermione and Lucius quickly gathered their clothes and hastily shoved them on when Mrs. Weasley's footsteps were heard coming up the staircase.

"Take a shower," Hermione shoved Lucius into his bathroom and closed the door. She quickly exited his room rushing into hers and closing the door just as Mrs. Weasley reached to top of the staircase. Hermione finished straightening out her clothes when Molly knocked on her door and opened it.

"Oh my," Mrs. Weasley frowned, and then sighed. "Come child," she opened her arms for Hermione. She allowed the woman to embrace her, burrowing into the warm loving feeling Molly emanated. "Well you don't look as skinny as I feared you might, but you do look like you lost a bit of weight," Molly commented as she pulled Hermione downstairs and into the dining room with plates of food covering the table. Mrs. Weasley piled a plate with food and guided Hermione into a seat. "Eat everything on there," she ordered.

"Hello," Ayame hummed as he entered the dining room. Mrs. Weasley turned and smiled at him.

"You must be Ayame. Ginny told me all about you. My you are a handsome one," she commented as she gently pushed him down onto a seat and served him a plate as she talked to him and Hermione and wiped away tears for Harry, Ron, and Draco and worried over their safety.

"What's this about my son?" Lucius asked from the threshold to the dining room. Mrs. Weasley turned and frowned at him.

"I thought you had him under stasis," she said to Hermione, ignoring the blond wizard. Hermione shook her head and smiled at the woman.

"She found a cure," Lucius answered for her. Molly frowned but placed an empty plate for him at the table.

"Thank you Molly," Hermione said softly. Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly as she hugged her and cried silently.

"It's so good to hear your voice," she whispered into Hermione's hair. "You've no idea how much I have missed it," she kissed Hermione's cheek and wiped away her tears. "Well, I should be getting back to headquarters. Now that I know you're fine," Molly smiled down at her surrogate daughter. "I will know if you don't eat everything on that plate," she threatened, Hermione smiled and nodded. She carried her still full plate to the kitchen after the older witch left. Ayame frowned as he watched her rise from the table and quit the room.

"This has gone on long enough," he said as he threw down his napkin. Lucius lifted an eyebrow at the stranger, watching with amusement as he strode into the kitchen only to come out seconds later with a struggling Hermione and a plate of food. "Use a sticking spell on her," he said to Lucius. Lucius smirked and complied with his order. Hermione glared at them both while she sat in her chair with her arms crossed.

"You are not a child any more," Ayame glared back, "so stop with the antics!" Hermione frowned at his words as she thought about them. "You are being rude to your guests every time you do not include yourself in their company, especially when they go out of their way everyday just to see you! What would mother say?" Hermione stiffened as she stared down at her plate with tear filled eyes.

"Was that really necessary?" Lucius asked him quietly as he looked at her with concern.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said softly. Ayame nodded.

"Now eat," he ordered gently. Hermione gave him an acknowledging nod and slowly lifted her fork. Ayame smiled and sang to himself softly. Lucius looked at him curiously. "Ayame," he introduced himself, holding his hand out to Lucius. Lucius looked at him confused.

"Lucius," he said as he shook his hand, taking in his eyes. "You're the snake!" He loudly exclaimed. Hermione dropped her fork and struggled to leave her chair.

"Hermione," Ayame said softly, kneeling next to her and began rubbing her arms in comfort while tears filled his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. "It's alright," he said soothingly as he laid his forehead on her arm and whispered comforts to her. "Your food is getting cold," he reminded her after she calmed. Hermione quickly grabbed his hand when he moved to reclaim his seat.

"Please don't leave," she whispered, begging him. "You're all I have left." Ayame kneeled next to her again and took her head in his hands.

"I promise," he whispered with watery eyes. "I'll be here for you always." Lucius looked at them curiously while he slowly ate.

"You are the best brother a girl could have," Hermione said quietly as she laid a hand on his cheek and kissed the other.

"Can I eat now?" Ayame pouted. Hermione smiled and nodded, releasing his hand.

"Now tell me about my son," Lucius lightly demanded. Hermione looked up at him with worry-filled eyes but Ayame answered.

"From what Mrs. Weasley and Ginny said," Ayame paused, "Harry, Draco, and a Ronald are missing."

"What!" Lucius yelled, abruptly standing from his chair and throwing his napkin down on the table. Hermione squirmed and struggled in her chair, trying to get away to find safety as the wizard ranted. He finally quieted after hearing a sob from the quiet girl and noticing Ayame trying to calm her. "Take me to your headquarters," he demanded after she calmed.

hEaRt*HeArT

Glares, sneers, and, so far, unvoiced anger filled the kitchen of Number 12 Grimmauld Place as the elder Malfoy argued with a certain Headmaster of Hogwarts. Every wizard and witch silently held their fists or hands under their thighs to keep from slapping or punching Lucius Malfoy while his voice boomed in every room, corridor, and corner of the home. Hermione curled in an upstairs closet, thankful that the offending notes of the blond wizard's voice did not reach her hiding space and that she was safe.

"How did he even get in here?" Nymphadora Tonks Lupin asked her husband as she rocked their sleeping newborn infant, Teddy.

"He flooed in with Hermione," Remus Lupin frowned. "Where is Hermione?" He asked louder, abruptly standing from his chair at the kitchen table. Silence suddenly filled every square-inch of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Everyone abruptly stood from his or her seats and the search began for one silent witch, Kingsley Shacklebolt glaring at a certain blond with every chance he got.

Two days later a curly haired witch emerged from her safe hiding spot. She glanced around the empty corridors before rushing to the floo in the downstairs drawing room. A smooth low baritone voice interrupted her flight.

"You have this whole place upside down," Lucius Malfoy's voice stopped the witch from grabbing a handful of floo powder. Hermione looked away from her hand hovering just above the bowl of powder to meet stormy grey eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, dipping her hand into the powder. A pale hand gripped her wrist as the tips of her fingers dipped into the bowl.

"You should be!" He quietly hissed. Hermione almost took the words for him speaking parseltongue. "I have been stuck in this..._Gryffindor_ hell hole for fifty hours!" Hermione looked into the fireplace. "I would like to go home," he announced, grabbing a handful of floo powder and tossing it into the fire, pulling Hermione along with him. Hermione quickly retreated into her small library, not noticing the small frown that adorned the Slytherin wizard's usually sneering or mocking face.

Lucius frowned at his use of 'home' as he watched the witch rush into her library. He stood in the foyer, taking in his surroundings shaking his head all the while. 'This place...this house...this could never be home,' he thought sadly. His home, his life...his legacy...had been reduced to nothing, and this small cube of living space could never replace it.

* * *

_..._


	6. VI Oo

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_Ayame asked me if I was his Master the other day...We both cried when I told him that Natsuki Takaya was his Master. He promised me he would run away because Takaya already has eleven other Zodiac and a God...Lucius Malfoy just scoffed at Ayame and said not even J.K. Rowling has ownership of him even though she is his Creator...apparently Lucius down not need a Master (~.-) So now Ayame is more determined to be free of Masters and Creators...darn..I still own no one or nothing :p_

* * *

_Oh! Just a warning before one starts reading...I skipped over the Final Battle...Don't worry Harry still won..and Hermione chose to help in the fight too..._

* * *

VI Discoveries

Hermione sat at her father's desk, slowly running her hand over the cherry wood, holding back her tears, remembering how he used to spend hours hunched over his paperwork, binders, and ledgers that were laid open on the desk. She used to watch him from the doorway of his study as he nibbled on the cap of his fountain pen while he balanced the family's daily, monthly, and yearly budgets. Eventually he would look up from his paperwork to find his daughter smiling at him. He would open his arms and Hermione would run and crawl into his lap, then he would ask about her day at school and she would chatter on about schoolwork and homework or the high grade she earned on a test. Now this desk seemed out of place in its new home, in the new room in which it rested. Hermione looked back at the monitor resting on top of the desk and clicked 'Confirmed'. There was only and would only be one room, one home, where the desk belonged.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded. She had more than enough money to buy back her childhood home. It would not make a dent in her muggle or wizarding accounts. "What are you planning on doing with this house?" He asked.

"I plan on this house becoming your home," Hermione answered quietly, as she ran her index finger across a newly attained silver scar on his cheek. He gave the healing witch a big smile before taking her into a big bear hug. "Why won't you stay here with us?" Draco asked and chuckled when he got a mouthful of her curly hair. Hermione smiled and moved her hair aside.

"Whether your father admits it or not, this has become like a home to him, a sanctuary," Hermione answered quietly as she looked about the room at the shelves of books. "This house was like a vacation away from home," she said softly. "I need to return now." Draco gave her a small nod in understanding.

"This hovel will never be my home!" Lucius hissed from the doorway of the library and stalked off. Draco's brows furrowed at his father's odd behaviour.

"He's been odd since the battle at Hogwarts," Draco observed.

"The war affected everyone in different ways," Hermione said quietly. Draco shook his head.

"Oddly, I think whatever is bothering him has nothing to do with the war," he muttered, mostly to himself. They both turned at the sound of a beak tapping on a pane of glass at a window. Hermione opened the window and a large white owl, with flecks of brown on its feathers, flew into the library with two large letters addressed to Draco L. Malfoy and sealed with a Hogwarts crest.

"I have been offered the position as a Professor for the Defence Against the Dark Arts," Draco smiled. Hermione gave him quiet words of congratulations with a wide smile and hug.

HeArT*hEaRt

Harry, Hermione, and Draco trailed behind a sneering Lucius Malfoy as he stalked through the crowds in Diagon Alley with Harry and Draco standing protectively at Hermione's sides. The trio rolled their eyes at the seemingly never changing wizard's behaviours. Hermione suddenly stopped, causing Harry and Draco to turn to her with concern. They both laughed when they realised she was looking through the windows into Flourish and Blotts. Lucius turned to discover two snickering wizards watching a witch who almost literally had her nose pressed into the windows of the book store and fought back a smile.

"We should buy your lesson books," Hermione said softly to Draco as she reached for the door to the store only to have it opened for her by the elder Malfoy. Harry held back a groan and Draco fought with himself to not roll his eyes as they followed Hermione into the shop, both losing themselves in the books dedicated to Quidditch. Hermione was interested in an arithmancy tome when she felt her stomach roll and threaten to push the shrimp she had for lunch back up her oesophagus. She quickly reshelved the book and rushed to the loo in the back of the store.

.

.

"I only tolerate her because she is your friend!" Hermione heard Lucius's voice quietly hiss as she opened the door.

"Hermione deserves more than your tolerance!" She heard Draco hiss back. "She saved your life! Twice!" He said a bit louder. Hermione quickly closed the door as quietly as she could. Feeling her stomach roll again with nausea.

.

.

"I know you more than tolerate her," Draco said more quietly at his father's glare. "I see how you look at her when she's not looking."

"Really," Lucius drawled. "And how do I look at her?" Draco eyed his father critically.

"With want," he answered. "As if she were the only phial of Felix Felicis left on the shelf and you want it more than anything or anyone else." He walked away leaving behind his stunned father. Lucius hastily composed himself and quickly went in search of said witch.

.

.

Hermione groaned as she once again applied cleaning charms to the toilet, lifted herself from the tiles, and applied more cleaning charms to those too. She cautiously exited, listening for two certain wizards, and deemed it safe to leave when all was quiet. She hastily made a quick exit from the bookstore and down the strip to the Apothecary, trying to ignore the loud voices of the crowds. By the time she entered the deserted store she was visibly shaking from the noise of the crowds outside.

"How may I help you?" The store clerk asked, eyeing her with concern. Hermione tried not to jump in surprise at his voice.

"I-I need something f-for food poisoning," she said breathlessly, vainly trying to rein in her fears.

"Would you like a calming draught also?" He asked politely. Hermione shook her head.

"No t-thank you," she said softly, trying to calm herself from the noises of the crowds that frightened her.

"Yes," a smooth voice said behind her. Hermione quickly turned at Lucius Malfoy's voice and tried not to blush while she trembled. "Get her the nausea potion and a calming draught and bill them to my account." Hermione protested his paying for her merchandise but the wizard stood firm so she politely thanked him and took the phials, dropping the nausea potion at the loud bang that literally shook the grounds. Lucius quickly grabbed the now fully panicking witch, dragging her down the Alley through the ensuing chaos to the nearest apparition point and conjured his patronus, sending it off to his son and Harry.

Hermione pushed herself away from the warm, safe embrace of the wizard when they apparated to the backyard their home. Lucius held tight and Hermione kept pushing him away.

"Please," she pleaded, before the last of her lunch made itself known all over the no longer clean or pristine black robes of Lucius Malfoy. The wizard let out a small groan and held his breath, uncorking a phial and pushing the almost forgotten nausea potion into her palm.

"Feel better?" He asked her after making sure she drank the entire contents of the phial.

"What do you care?" Hermione whispered and looked up at him. "You only tolerate me." She pushed him away before he could say anything else.

"Hermione!" Ayame rushed into the kitchen followed by Harry and Draco and pulled her into a hug. Hermione looked up at him in surprise and he smirked down at her. "Later," he whispered.

"That was a cauldron exploding at Weasley's Wizards Wheezes," Harry explained to the group. "Charlie was trying to brew one of Fred's special recipes and added leches before the pixie dust."

"Do I even want to know why leches were needed in the potion?" Hermione asked. Harry and Draco shook their heads.

hEaRt*HeArT

"I'll have you know I drive more responsibly here than I did in Japan," Ayame chuckled and Hermione playfully rolled her eyes as everyone exited her father's beloved Jaguar. He held Hermione when they paused at the front door to Hermione's childhood home.

"Well go on then," Draco encouraged the duo. Hermione looked back at him, smiling slightly, and then slowly let the front doors open, and gasped. Ayame squeezed her into his side a little tighter and wiped away her tears while everyone piled into the entry hall.

"You can stop glaring," Draco whispered quietly to his father. Lucius directed his glare Draco's way. Draco rolled his eyes. "You should fess up if you want to be the one to hold her," he muttered quietly before quickly making an escape from his father's famous walking stick, saving the back of his head from some pain.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered to Ayame and the two blonds, looking up at them with tear filled eyes. They followed her into her father's study where her father's desk once again rested in the very same spot it had been before it was removed from its original resting place. Hermione silently ran her small hands over it before whispering another thank you to the two wizards who helped make her home seem like home again.

"This house is larger than the one you bought Draco." Hermione could swear Lucius pouted when he said that.

"That was so we could keep a better eye on Hermione," he whispered to his father. "There was less space for her to hide. This house has five bedrooms, a Library, a study, and a conservatory." Lucius looked a bit envious at that last bit.

Hermione made her way up the large staircase, her hand running along the cherry wooden railing, and stopped in front of her old bedroom. She reached a shaky hand towards the doorknob before resting it on the cool metal.

"I hope you don't mind," Draco softly spoke up. "We've had your things placed in the second largest bedroom. I believe it was your mother's sewing room." Hermione smiled up at him.

"She never did get around to using that room," she said quietly and opened the bedroom door. "Thank you," she whispered yet again, looking around her old bedroom. The previous light yellow walls were now painted an ocean-side blue colour. Hermione closed the door and slowly made her way to her parents' bedroom, stopping before the closed door. Ayame placed his arm around her waist to comfort her and wipe away the tears spilling out of her eyes. She slowly twisted the knob and opened the door to find that the walls were now an ivory colour and a four-poster bed now occupied the room, right across from the windows, in place of the previous 'sled' bed frame.

"This should be your room now," she said to Ayame, and levitated his luggage onto the bed before he could protest. "Mum and Dad would want you to have this room," she whispered, wiping away the tear that escaped down his cheek. She jumped at the sound of the doorbell and tried not to panic.

"I'll get that," Ayame said, kissing her cheek before making his way down the stairs.

"What was that?" Draco asked curiously.

"The doorbell," Hermione answered quietly as they followed Ayame down the stairs but followed her into the library.

"Do you mind if I disable it and set up wards?" Draco suggested.

"I do not see why she has to move back at all," Lucius muttered quietly, but loudly enough for Hermione and Draco to hear.

"I will get started on our dinner," Hermione said softly. "I hope you have enough _patience_ to wait a few hours," she said quietly for only Lucius to hear as she exited the library. He bristled at her words and Draco looked at him curiously. She found Ayame in the kitchen placing a rhubarb pie on a cooling rack. "Would you like some tea with that?" She smiled at him.

"Mrs. Whitfield says welcome back," he said. Hermione tried not to roll her eyes at the thought of her nosy neighbour. She suddenly covered her mouth and rushed towards the sink. "You should see a doctor about that food poisoning," Ayame suggested as he held her hair back. "You've been sick for over a week." Hermione shook her head.

"I will go see Madame Pomfrey when I go to talk with Severus tomorrow," Hermione said after rinsing out her mouth. "Why do you not take that pie to the sitting room for everyone and I'll take out the tea when it is ready," she quietly suggested.

HeArT*hEaRt

Hermione walked tiredly out of the Great Hall and down the corridors to the nearest girls' lavatory. Her whole morning and early afternoon were spent visiting with Severus brewing a Wolfsbane potion and she was exhausted, but felt confident that though she was under the weather her condition would not have affected her brewing. She slowly headed to the infirmary, if only to reach the nearest bed, and that was where Madame Pomfrey found the resting witch.

"Hello Miss Granger," the medi-witch said quietly. Hermione opened her eyes and gave her a small smile. "Is there a reason you are here?" She asked politely.

"I have been sick for over a week," Hermione said softly. "How long is food poisoning supposed to last anyway?" She asked the other witch. Madame Pomfrey lifted an eyebrow and started casting diagnostic spells.

"You took a nausea potion?" She asked. Hermione nodded. "I'm not seeing anything wrong," the Healer frowned. "How bad is your nausea?"

"It's really bad in the morning," Hermione admitted, "but I hardly have trouble with keeping anything down as the day goes on. I find ginger tea helps a lot with my nausea." Madame Pomfrey eyed the younger witch critically and cast one last spell.

"Do you know what ginger tea is usually used for?" The Healer asked her. Hermione's brows furrowed.

"Severus says ginger is used for upset stomachs so I made myself ginger tea to help with the food poisoning," Hermione admitted.

"He's correct, as always," The older witch smiled. "It is also used to help with morning sickness," she said pointedly.

"Morning sickness?" Hermione asked. "I didn't know that. I should research the uses of ginger," she thought aloud. Madame Pomfrey held back a chuckle.

"Hermione," she said softly. "You're nine weeks along." It took a few seconds for the Healer's words to sink into her exhausted brain. Her eyes almost bulged when the words finally did sink in. Madame Pomfrey handed her a nutrients potion and the recipe.

"Take the potion before every meal for the rest of your pregnancy," she instructed. "The nausea will usually last from about your fourteenth to sixteenth week, sometimes longer."

Hermione walked out of the infirmary in a daze. She was pregnant with the child of a man who could only tolerate her. Would he even want anything to do with a half-blood child? He would probably see it as an abomination and order her to terminate the pregnancy. Could she kill an innocent foetus?

She held her stomach protectively while shaking her head as she left the gates of Hogwarts trying not to look around at the damages done to her precious school and remember everything that took place there. Everything was upside down in her life. What more could, would, life throw at her? How much more could she take before breaking again? She kept asking herself these questions as she apparated away only to hear the raised voice of the person who was the cause of her current problem.

* * *

_O.o_


	7. VII What Should I Do?

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I own nothing :p_

* * *

VII The Plan

"What do you mean you are in love with a mudblood?!" Lucius Malfoy yelled at his son as he sat behind the desk that belonged to Hermione's father.

"Just what you think it means," Draco's voice was above normal indoor levels, but not quite yelling like his father was. "I'm going to ask her to marry me," he admitted to his father.

"And have half-blood children?!" Lucius Malfoy bellowed. "I cannot, I will not, allow any half-bloods in this family! Malfoy's are purebloods and you will have a pureblood heir!"

"I don't care about blood!" Draco was shouting at him now. "I don't care what you want any more! I cared before and ended up with this!" Hermione could imagine him shoving his dark mark in Lucius's face. She quietly made her way upstairs to see Ayame standing at the top looking down at her.

"You would think they could discuss that in their own home," he said quietly. "They might as well move in with us." Hermione collapsed in his arms in tears. "What's wrong little lion?" He whispered her family's endearment to her while holding her tighter to himself as she trembled and the yelling continued downstairs in her father's study. He allowed Hermione to pull him into her bedroom and set up silencing charms while he waited patiently for her to explain.

"I don't know how to say this without being blunt," she whispered. Ayame looked down at her worriedly.

"What is it little lion?" He asked softly. Hermione sobbed quietly into his chest while telling him her theory for Lucius's cure, how she delivered antidote than what happened after, and finished with Madame Pomfrey's diagnosis of her current state.

"What do I do Aya?" She whispered. "He is obviously going to tell me to terminate it and I already know I can't do that." Ayame held her tighter while she sobbed. He felt like going downstairs and knocking the elder Malfoy down a peg or two but then the reason for his actions would then be known.

"You don't worry about that," he said quietly while calming himself. "I'm going to be here for you, always," he promised her and himself again while he held her tighter and gently rocked her until she fell asleep. He quietly made his way downstairs to grab the cordless landline.

"Is Hermione back yet?" Draco asked Ayame when he entered the kitchen.

"Yes," he answered grabbing the phone and turned to leave. "Her food poisoning will last a bit longer," he added. "She's already been to see the Healer at Hogwarts," he said before turning to leave again, then put the phone down and grabbed the keys to the car instead. "Would you keep an eye on her?" Ayame asked. "I'll only be gone thirty minutes." Draco nodded and turned back to his tea and the house elf sitting across from him.

"What do you think Thyme?" He asked the old elf, one of the three Malfoy family elves to survive the collapse of the Manor out of the hundred or so they previously had.

"I's be thinking nothing bad about my masters," he answered. Draco just smiled at him.

"You're a good elf," he said quietly.

HeArT*hEaRt

Ayame drove for nearly ten minutes before parking the car near the closest telephone booth. He looked across the street at the red structure before taking a deep breath and locking the doors after he exited the automobile and crossing the busy intersection carefully. He picked up the reciever and hesitated to dial the operator but finally did so after convincing himself that this was the right choice.

"I would like to make a long-distance call," he said to the operator. "Please connect me with Hatori Sohma in Japan." He waited for five rings, fighting with himself not to hang up after every ring.

"_Hello_," a voice answered.

"_Tori-san!_" Ayame half-heartedly sang into the phone.

"_Ayame!_" Hatori suddenly sounded alert. "_What are you doing in London? Do you know how mad Akito-san is! Do you know how long we have been looking for you?!_" Ayame covered the phone before releasing the deep breath he had taken.

"_I think I might be going home soon Tori-san,_" Ayame announced happily.

"_What do you mean you think?_" His cousin asked. "_You are going to come home even if we have to drag you!_"

"_Akito-san has no more authority over me!_" Ayame said in an icy voice, dropping his happy façade. He heard Hatori take a sudden deep breath.

"_Y-you've-_"

"_Yes,_" Ayame interrupted him. "_I'm no longer cursed._"

"_How do you know for sure?_" Hatori asked.

"_Never mind that_," Ayame rolled his eyes. "_Can I count on your honour that you will not run to Akito-san with what I am about to tell you?_" There was a pregnant pause before Hatori answered.

"_You have my word,_" he decided.

"_I plan on bringing home a young woman who has a secret that is bigger than ours,_" Ayame hesitantly announced. He heard Hatori take another breath.

"_What kind of secret?_" He asked.

"_I cannot disclose that,_" Ayame answered. Hatori let out a disbelieving laugh. "_If I tell you I would literally die._"He heard the phone fall from Hatori's hand.

"_Is she in trouble?_" He asked apprehensively. "_Is she in some gang?_"

"_No,_" Ayame answered. "_Nothing like you are thinking. If she wants you to know her secret she will tell you, and if she goes along with what I am planning I will be announcing to the family that she is going to have a child._" He heard the phone drop again.

"_Are you serious?_" Hatori hissed. "_You impregnated this woman!_"

"_No,_" Ayame answered. "_She's like a little sister to me,_" he smiled. "_I want to take care of her because I love her as a sibling."_

"_Won't Yuki be jealous,_" Hatori stated wryly. Ayame could practically see Hatori rolling his eyes.

"_I just have to run my plan by her and see what she thinks,_" Ayame said. "_You are not to tell anyone anything other than she is expecting_."

"_If she is pregnant and you plan on living with her Akito-san will want to see you both either way_," Hatori said knowingly. "_It will not be pleasant."_

"_I know, but I want to delay seeing Akito-san as long as possible,_" Ayame frowned.

"_We won't be able to protect her,_" Hatori warned.

"_I am not worried about that._" Hatori could hear the smirk in Ayame's voice and that made him worried. "_She can protect herself just fine, and I should warn you...she has the temperament of a lioness._" Ayame could practically see Hatori shiver and silently laughed the whole drive home. He quietly entered Hermione's room to see her lying awake with tear filled eyes.

"No more tears little lion," he whispered, lying next to her and wiping the tears from her eyes and the trail of water they left behind, away. "I have a plan," he said quietly. Hermione looked up at him hopefully. "It has a lot of holes right now," he warned, "but it will work." Hermione nodded and continued to listen. "I know you can change your passport and identification with magic. I want us to go to Japan."

"What?" Hermione asked, alarmed. "But your family..." she drifted off.

"I will go back to my family for you if you come with me," Ayame whispered.

"Akito will try to harm you again," she looked worried. Ayame just smiled and gave a small laugh.

"You don't worry that he will try and harm you?" He chuckled and pulled her closer to himself. Hermione draped her arm around him. "You're my precious little sister," he whispered. "I am worried he will try to harm you or have your memories erased," he unconsciously held her tighter. "Akito-san will just know of your...condition and that we will be living together. You take your time thinking about this and tell me when you come up with something better," he smiled. Hermione shook her head.

"I think that is a good plan," she said softly and looked up at him worriedly. "But is it the best plan?" Ayame just smiled down at her.

"I'm not worried about that," he chuckled. "We will slowly gather everything you need and leave soon," he said gently.

"I will talk to Kingsley," Hermione said quietly. "He is the only one that can help me with this plan. I want it to work," she said determinedly. "Kings can make up 'official' documents that will allow me to work at a muggle or magical job."

hEaRt*HeArT

_Please forgive me for doing this, but I needed to get away. I realise now what a mistake it was to move back into the home where I lost the two people who meant the world to me. I should have listened to you all when you said I should wait at home while we all fought to defeat Voldemort. I fear that has made everything worse. Please remember that I love you all and I thank you with my whole heart for being there for me when I needed you. I say this to each and every one of you...I love you. Please do not look for me. I promise to write._

_Hermione J. Granger_

Lucius found the letter, with a sticking charm applied to the parchment, stuck to the library doors of Hermione's home five weeks later. Draco alerted the Order of Hermione's flight while his father sulked inside the library. Everyone saw a side to Kingsley Shacklebolt, whose actions even scared the wizard himself, as he ordered Aurors to track her whereabouts in every corner of England, France, even the States with the help of the American Ministry. Severus and Lucius used up every single favour and every contact in their search for the young witch. Still, after two months of continuous searching, not even a needle in the proverbial haystack could be found among the thousands of straws.

* * *

_I was, and still am, a little anxious about this chapter..._

_I keep thinking about this Korean song, What Should I Do? By a singer named Jang Geun Suk. I heard it a while ago whenever I reread this chapter I think of it.._

_youtube DOT com /watch?v=CpTTX-47f5k_

_Thought I would share it for whoever wants to take the time to listen..._


	8. VIII Family!

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_eep! I almost forgot to post a new chapter this week, sorry it is a day late...I should really mention that I own nothing :(_

* * *

VIII Meeting the Family

Hermione gazed up at the tall imposing gates before her, internally rolling her eyes, while Ayame dragged their large suitcase behind him and kept his arm wrapped protectively around her. She smiled up at him, not the least bit intimidated by the large property the looming gates hid from the world. She and Ayame silently laughed as they entered the property, he pretending the suitcase was very heavy, but, in fact, had extension and lightweight charms placed on it.

"Do you need help with that?" Hermione asked playfully as he led them down a cobblestone pathway towards Hatori's home.

"No no little lion," Ayame teasingly wagged his finger. "Not in your condition." Hermione lightly hit his arm as she smiled.

"_Ayame-san!_" A small blond boy ran into his chest. Hermione smiled down at him while he looked up at her curiously with his wide brown eyes. "_Who's this?_" He asked curiously.

"_Ayame-san,_" a man with black hair and purple eyes greeted the 'couple'. "_Momiji,_" he looked down at the young boy. "_This is Hermione-san, Ayame's wife._" Ayame glared at his cousin who ignored him while Momiji looked up at the woman with wide eyes.

"_So you know?_" Momiji asked with a large smile.

"He asked if you knew our secret," Ayame translated for Hermione as Hatori ushered them into his home. Hermione smiled down at him and nodded her head and the excited boy launched himself at her. She looked up at Ayame with tear-filled eyes.

"He shouldn't have to go through this," she said softly as she petted Momiji in his rabbit form. "Can I?" She whispered to Ayame.

"Work your magic," he whispered back with a wink. The next minute Hermione was blushing and Momiji was rushing into the nearest room with a door.

"_What did she do?_" Hatori asked Ayame as he looked at her curiously.

"_Why did you tell Momiji-kun that Hermione and __I__ are married_?" Ayame countered.

"_Because Akito-san was already planning on erasing her memories upon your arrival_," He answered. Ayame sucked in a breath.

"_Did you not think Hermione-san could protect herself from something like that?!_" He hissed. Hatori looked interested in how a normal person could protect him or herself from having their mind erased by him. Hermione tried not to smirk at Ayame's cousin.

"Firstly," Hermione answered his silent query. "You would have to take an Unbreakable Vow to know my secret." Hatori looked at her in even more curiosity. "Secondly, we will need to find a home with a fireplace," she said to Ayame. He nodded in agreement, promising to get right on it.

"Akito-san wants to see you right away_,_" Hatori said to the both of them in slightly accented English. Ayame looked down at Hermione worriedly and she smiled up at him.

"Kingsley said it was okay to meet as long as he greets us civilly," she quietly assured him, but only he understood her double meaning. "I need to contact him anyway to let him know we got here safe."

"Would you like to use my phone?" Hatori politely offered, holding out his mobile phone to her. Hermione smiled and shook her head.

"Thank you but no," she answered softly. "I have a different way of communicating with my friends," she said mysteriously. Ayame chuckled, allowing a confused Hatori to lead them outside again, Momiji running to keep up with them. The small boy smiled up at Hermione, taking her hand while Ayame protectively kept her pinned to his side. A stern woman greeted the group, looking at Hermione with a frown. Hermione lifted an eyebrow at the woman and smiled at her brightly thinking all the while that Professor McGonagall had a better air of strictness about her.

"In all my years I've never seen her pout," Ayame commented, silently laughing. Hermione smiled up at him.

"She has nothing on Professor McGonagall," she said quietly while Hatori kept looking back at her with ever-growing interest. The group stood silently outside a large sliding door in a dark hallway. "I won't let him hurt you," she whispered to Ayame, squeezing his hand to comfort him.

"_Enter,_" a tenor voice ordered tersely. Hermione entered after Hatori and Ayame followed by Momiji, taking their example and kneeling with them. She looked at the owner of the high tenor voice in surprise.

"I thought you said she was a he," she whispered to Ayame. Hatori looked over at her in surprise.

"_You will speak when spoken to!_" Akito hissed at her quickly rising from her seat. Hermione looked up at the woman with a sneer.

"_I will speak when I feel it is necessary!_" She hissed back, Momiji looking at her in surprise along with Hatori who was even more surprised with her. Akito swiftly moved toward Hermione, pulling her arm back and flinging it forward. Hermione quickly grabbed the woman's wrist, sending small shocks into the woman with her magic and bringing her to her knees. "_I promised __the leader of my government I would not use my magic on muggles except in defence.__ If you force my hand you will know a world of pain,_" she warned, releasing the livid woman. Akito stood up and walked away from the witch with a mixture of hate and fear on her face.

"_What are you?_" She sneered. Hermione smirked at her but managed to look sad all the same.

"_Something that couldn't even save my family,_" she answered with self-loathing and teary eyes.

"_So you bring a worthless whore into this family,_" Akito hissed at Ayame. He bristled at her words and Hermione just laughed aloud standing up from her position, making the woman even more livid. "_You disrespectful slut!_" Hermione's eyes narrowed at the woman.

"_Do you really hate yourself that much?_" Hermione mocked, feeling her hormones kick in. Akito screeched, aiming to punch her stomach. Ayame and Hatori scrambled up from their positions too late. Hermione threw up a silent wandless shield, knocking the woman back.

"_You tried to harm my baby!_" Hermione hissed, looking dark and forbidding at the same time. "_Do you know who I am?!_" She demanded and asked. "_I am Hermione Jean Granger! I can have you taken before the Wizengamot in one minute and thrown into Azkaban the next! That __is__ how far and wide my contacts reach from England! I can have your head on a platter just for that little move so I advise you to tread carefully around me from now on, _very_ carefully,_" she warned.

_Pop!_

Akito, Hatori, and Momiji looked visibly shaken at the forbidding air about surrounding the young woman and shock at the man that suddenly popped into the room from thin air.

"_Hermione Jean Granger,_" the awed wizard asked politely with a respectful bow.

"_Yes,_" Hermione gave him a tense smile.

"_It is a very great honour to meet you in person,_" the man gushed to Ayame's amusement. "_We were alerted to some trouble in the area,_" he eyed Hatori and particularly Akito disdainfully with a sneer unbefitting of his person. "_We've already contacted your magical guardian Kingsley Shacklebolt. He should be here-_"

_Pop!_

"Hermione!" A tall olive-toned man rushed to her side.

"All is well," Hermione quickly reassured him. Kingsley was not soothed and demanded Ayame and Hermione to give him their memories of the past ten minutes as two other unknown wizards popped into the room, both politely bowing to Kingsley and Hermione and using translating charms for the whole room now that there were more people and a wide language barrier.

"These men are under oath," Kingsley assured Hermione and Ayame when they became worried about her secret. "No one will think of looking here for you," he whispered quietly so the non-magic people would not overhear.

"Miss Granger-san," a wizard respectfully bowed.

"That would be Mrs. Sohma-san," Hatori politely corrected, giving Ayame and Hermione a confused glance and eyeing Akito tensely. Kingsley looked at Hermione in surprise while Ayame quietly explained the situation to them.

"I am very sorry Mrs. Sohma-san," he apologised. "It is a very great honour to meet a warrior such as yourself in person. My name is Ichiro Honda. I am the magical Prime Minister for Japan." The statement earned him an incredulous look from three Sohma family members and a respectful bow from Ayame. He whipped out his wand and conjured chairs for the group, which had three Sohma members gaping at the blatant display of magic.

"I have a business proposition for you, with your husband's permission of course," the minister politely tilted his head in Ayame's direction. "Mister Shacklebolt-san allowed me to view your NEWTs scores and they are the highest any wizard or a witch has scored in sixty years here in Japan!" He exclaimed with a smile. Ayame cheered Hermione, causing her to blush.

"Now," the Minister continued, "I have been asked to offer you a position as the Head Potions Mistress for our Ministry," he smiled. Ayame hugged a stunned Hermione. Kingsley frowned at Hermione's silence.

"If I may speak for my wife," Ayame spoke up politely, the words feeling foreign rolling off his tongue, but he was putting on a show for Akito and everyone silently understood. Hermione squeezed his hand and let him continue. "She has gone through a lot Mister Honda-san. She is still going through so much that I fear for the child's safety in her early stages of pregnancy. If she allows me, I would like her to rest and work through everything no woman her age should have gone through." The Minister turned back to Hermione with concern written across his face.

"Of course," he said respectfully. "If I may, Isuzu Hospital for Magical Ailments has the best maternity Healers. Healer Saski-san is the best," he smiled thoughtfully. Kingsley cleared his throat.

"About those memories," he said pointedly to Ayame and Hermione.

"Ah, yes," the Minister lightly blushed. "Please excuse my excitement in meeting a war heroine." Hatori and Momiji looked at Hermione in surprise and Akito glared at her. The Minister glared back at the woman making her visibly shrink back into a corner. Kingsley expanded a shrunken pensieve he always carried with him and placed Hermione and Ayame's memories inside. Twenty minutes later two livid wizards exited the memories. "Arrest her!" The Japanese Minister demanded, pointing at a now frightened Akito. His two Aurors quickly moved in on Akito.

"Wait!" Hermione stood from her seat. "Just have her take an Unbreakable Vow with modified wording," Hermione suggested. "I trust Hatori and Momiji Sohma to keep the wizarding world a secret, but will they have to take a Vow also?" She asked. Kingsley nodded but was very hesitant to comply with Hermione suggestion and Minister Honda continued glaring at the visibly shaken woman.

"Our laws are stricter than yours. We have to erase their memories," Minister Honda explained to Hermione and Ayame. Hatori looked surprised that someone else could, or planned to erase his memory.

"Can Hatori-san keep his memory?" Ayame quietly asked the Minister. "He is the family doctor it would look odd if he was not seeing Hermione through her pregnancy because she will be seeing a Healer and Hatori-san will ask questions."

"Very well," the Minister sighed, then smiled at the youngest Sohma family member. "He may keep his also, but they will be taking Vows. Miss Sohma is _very_ lucky that she will just have her memory erased," he sneered at the head of the Sohma family. "I would have ensured you fifty years in Azkaban!" Akito knocked over a blue vase as she tried to make herself smaller in a corner. The noise made Hermione jump from her chair in fright. Kingsley and Ayame caught her before she could become more lost in her frightened mind.

"It's okay Hermione," Kingsley soothed her and smiled down at her when she calmed almost instantly. He and Ayame shared a knowing smile. Hermione was already healing well in her new environment.

"What's wrong?" Momiji quietly asked Ayame as he looked up at Hermione in concern.

"She chose to fight in a war against someone so evil he would have either enslaved her and her kind or killed them if his side had won," Ayame answered his cousin. Hatori and Momiji looked at their cousin in disbelief and silently felt for the woman.

"How old is she?" Hatori asked as he finally took in Hermione's physical features, noting that the woman's eyes seemed older than her years but she looked very young. Ayame backed away from his cousin and closer to Hermione. Hermione gave Hatori a small smile.

"I am almost twenty," Hermione answered quietly. Hatori turned red and Momiji frowned at Ayame.

"Pervert!" Hatori shouted at his cousin as they began a chase around the room. "You're ten years her senior!" The two Aurors began taking bets on who would come out alive or unscathed.

"You're the one who said we're married!" Ayame reminded him while avoiding his slipper at the same time.

"I'm looking for a home with a fireplace," Hermione said conversationally to both Ministers while Kingsley continued to comfort her while simultaneously looking on in silent amusement at the two grown men, one beating the other and the other attempting to escape.

HeArT*hEaRt

Ayame, Hermione, Hatori and Momiji silently walked through a wide expanse of woods. Hermione shivered. Ayame noticed and wrapped her into his side to warm her up. She looked up at him gratefully. He silently soothed her when he noticed a look of fear in her eyes that she quickly covered up.

"We are almost there little lion," he said softly. "Just a few yards ahead." Hermione gave him a grateful glance. Momiji smiled up at her and grabbed her hand. Hermione smiled and gave his hand a small squeeze. Hatori used the chance of Momiji's distraction to push two black boxes into Ayame's hand.

"Wha-"

"You're married," he quietly pointed out. Ayame glared at him before opening one of the boxes and blushing, to Hatori's amusement.

"Tori-chan!" Ayame threw himself at the doctor and placed the platinum band on his left ring finger. "Of course I'll marry you!" He gushed. Hermione laughed and took the other box Ayame slipped into her hand while Hatori grumbled and brushed his cousin off himself.

"You need nicknames," Hatori whispered quietly, finally managing to get his cousin to release him. Ayame playfully pouted while Hermione snickered at them.

"Little lion," Ayame said.

"Yes?" Hermione answered. Hatori gave her a look of amusement and could only think of how fitting that nickname was for her, even during the short time since he met her he could see how much of a lioness she could be.

"Do you see that light ahead?" Ayame asked her. Hermione looked where he pointed and nodded. "I don't want you to be too scared, but when we get there-"

_Bang!_

Ayame grabbed Hermione when she panicked and struggled while he soothed and calmed her, Momiji squeezing her hand in comfort. Hermione looked up at Ayame nervously when the yelling about stupid cats and stupid rats started.

"C-can we come back tomorrow?" She whispered. Ayame held her tighter while he shook his head.

"It's like this all the time here," he admitted. "Today they actually seem pretty tame so this might be a good time." Hermione took a deep breath and held tighter to him and Momiji's hand as she allowed the Sohma men to continue leading her down the dirt path. "Call me Aya-chan in front of everyone," he whispered to her. Hermione gave him a confused nod.

"What are you doing here?" a young man with orange hair demanded. Hermione held tighter to Ayame as she fought the urge to run and hide. He whispered soothingly to her again. Kyou was confused when the usually happy Momiji glared at him and Hatori looked a little more than upset.

"Where are your manners Kyou-kun?" Hatori hissed. Kyou looked at the quartet in confusion, especially at Ayame and the strange woman who was holding onto him tightly without him turning into a snake. His eyes widened in realisation. "Yes," Hatori said to him. "Is everyone home?" He asked. A stunned Kyou nodded and led them into the house.

"Here," Ayame stopped Hermione in the entry hall. He bent down to remove one of her shoes and placed a slipper on the bare foot and did the same with the other. When he stood up, he saw Hermione blushing and his family looking at him with mixtures of confusion, amusement, and happiness.

"Thank you Aya-chan," Hermione said quietly.

"Did she say Aya-chan?" Kyou asked a young man with grey hair. He nodded but still looked at the 'couple' in confusion.

"'Mione-chan," Ayame said as he looked at her so she would catch onto her nickname. "This is Shigure-san, my brother Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun, and Tohru Honda-san," he pointed them out as he said their names. "Everyone," he gave them a nervous smile. "This is Hermione...my wife." Everyone except Tohru gaped at him. After Tohru offered her congratulations everyone started yelling, effectively frightening Hermione. Ayame once again comforted her while Hatori and Momiji hissed at the rest of the Sohma men while they once again gaped at the 'married' couple as they held each other without Ayame turning into his zodiac form.

"How?" Shigure asked the question that everyone wanted to know. Ayame shrugged.

"I just felt different one day," he answered. Shigure smiled at them, offering his congratulations and playfully crying that he lost his 'love'. Hermione smiled at Shigure and Ayame's antics.

"I'm sorry Shigure-san," she said quietly, trying to act serious. "I have an idea," she brightened and Shigure urged her to continue. "Since you love him and I love him we can share!" She broke out into snickers at the end while Yuki and Kyou groaned. The innocent Tohru smiled happily at the idea and Hatori rolled his eyes. Momiji laughed along with Hermione and dragged Tohru off into the sitting room, chatting happily. Tohru suddenly ran out of the room towards Hermione and Ayame.

"Please forgive me!" She bowed and apologised. "Would you like some tea? I'm very sorry for not asking right away!" Hermione smiled at the young girl and took her hand.

"That is fine, you are fine," Hermione said softly. "We were all caught up in the moment so there is no need for you to apologise. I thank you for your thoughtfulness," Hermione smiled at the girl and laid a small kiss on her cheek.

"Tea would be lovely," Ayame reassured a blushing Tohru who rushed off to the kitchen to heat the water.

"Was I too forward?" Hermione asked him quietly, looking up at him worriedly. Ayame snickered, but nodded.

"It's fine," he reassured her. "Just don't do that in public," he chuckled. Hermione tried to fight off her blush. "Can we speak with you privately Yuki-kun?" Ayame asked his brother who was still looking at them with disbelieving eyes. He nodded, then wondered why he agreed as he found himself following them into Shigure's study.

"Do we begin now or do we chat while we wait for the tea?" Hermione whispered to Ayame as they seated themselves on waiting cushions.

"It's the same here as it is in England," he smiled down at her. Hermione smiled at Yuki, taking in his grey eyes the same colour as his hair.

"It really is a pleasure to meet you," Hermione said to him politely. "Please excuse me if I'm being too forward," she lightly blushed. Ayame squeezed her hand lightly and smiled.

"Not at all," Yuki answered with a small smile. Hermione tried not to note how it seemed false. "How long have you been married?" He asked his older brother, skipping over the small talk. Hermione shifted uncomfortably, looking up at her 'husband'.

"That is one of the things we actually wanted to talk with you about," Ayame said. Yuki looked at him curiously, noting how calm he seemed and...different, just different, but still himself. Tohru bustled in with a tray of biscuits and two kettles of tea.

"Momiji was just telling me that you are dealing with morning sickness," Tohru commented. "I hope you feel better soon. I made a honey tea for you with a dash of ginger. I hope it helps with the nausea," she smiled at Hermione as she served her a cup of tea. Yuki eyed Hermione, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"How old are you Hermione-san?" He asked politely, but tensely. Hermione blushed.

"Perhaps we should explain before answering that ques-"

"She is nineteen," Ayame answered, then recoiled at Hermione's glare. Yuki choked on his cup of tea while Tohru commented on how young she was and they were the same age.

"Pervert!" Yuki shouted, startling Hermione and Tohru. Yuki took off his slipper and chased his brother out of the room while Kyou, who overheard, shouted about how she was the same age as them and Shigure was silently amused that his cousin actually married and impregnated a girl ten years his junior and happily joined in the Ayame Beating Party.

"I think they upset Hermione-san," Tohru commented to Hatori. He gave her a confused glance before a look of realisation crossed his face.

"STOP!" He yelled, effectively halting the impromptu circus. "You scared Hermione-san!" He hissed. A look of horror crossed Ayame's face and he began calling out for her while Yuki and Kyou began hitting him again as he frantically attempted to search every closet, room, and corner for her while not bothering to block their blows.

"Stop this right now!" He hissed at the young men. Yuki dropped his slipper while he and Kyou just gaped at this suddenly serious side of Ayame. "No," Ayame whispered, falling to his knees in the entry hall before the front door that was wide open. "Please tell me someone forgot to close it," he said to no one and everyone.

"She probably used this chance to escape when she realised what a big mistake she made in marrying you," Kyou scoffed.

"You don't understand!" Ayame hissed at him in anger, his face turning red. "You have no idea what she has gone through, the horrors she has faced! That little lion has witnessed her parents murdered before her very eyes!" He yelled at the stunned men. Tohru gasped and held back her onslaught of tears that suddenly filled her eyes. Ayame and ran out the front door yelling for Hermione. Hatori quickly gathered himself and started organising a search party.

"Please excuse me," Shigure smiled at Tohru, then hugged her, turning into his dog form with a _Poof_. He sniffed Hermione's shoes before running off on all fours to follow the scent.

"Did he just smell her shoes?" Kyou asked Yuki.

"He even licked them," Yuki gagged.

"Remind me to never forget what cup of tea belongs to me," Kyou lightly blushed. Yuki could have sworn he vomited in his mouth as he rushed outside after Shigure and his brother. Hatori sighed and guided Kyou outside.

"Stay here in case she comes back," Hatori said to Tohru and Momiji.

"Maybe we should finish searching the house," Momiji suggested. "Ayame-san never finished."

hEaRt

Ayame frantically searched, calling out for Hermione as he scoured the woods. He silently cursed himself repeatedly for not remembering Hermione once during all the ensuing chaos after his answer to Yuki's question about her age. What good was he if he could not even protect her from her fears? He asked himself the same question over a million times and that was how his younger brother found his distraught older brother, with his fingers curled in his hair, tugging on his scalp and muttering 'What good am I?' to himself over and over again as he huddled into the base of a tree.

"At least you haven't given up," Yuki spoke up. Ayame looked up in surprise at his brother, then down at his shoes in shame. "Or have you?" He asked. "Then that would mean you really are no good." Yuki turned away.

"Does that mean I can still have a relationship with you?" Ayame asked quietly. Yuki paused.

"Only if you haven't given up." He turned and gave his brother a real smile.

"Ayame," a small voice whispered. Ayame and Yuki turned to see Hermione limping towards them.

"Hermione!" Ayame jumped up, rushing to her side and taking her into his arms. "How did you get hurt? What happened? Why did you leave the house? You never leave you always hide in closed spaces."

"I'm sorry," Hermione sniffed. "I don't know why," she admitted. "I just panicked and ran. The door was open and I didn't think, then I fell," she lightly blushed. "I'm sorry," she said again. Ayame shook his head and wiped her silent tears away.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he whispered. "I should have been paying more attention. I'm going to be the worst father figure," he inwardly cursed himself again.

"Father figure?" Yuki asked, his brows furrowed.

"We still need to talk," Ayame said as he scooped Hermione off the ground and carried her off in the direction of the house.

"Hermione-san!" Hatori rushed to open the door for Ayame. "What happened?" He asked them.

"I panicked," Hermione blushed and hid her face into Ayame's neck.

"She might have sprained her ankle," Ayame said. "She could hardly limp, much less walk when she found us."

"She found you?" Shigure smirked.

"Says the shoe licker," Kyou rolled his eyes. Ayame snickered.

"Gure-sama fancies himself a hunting hound," Ayame said to Hermione, carrying her into Shigure's study and sitting on a cushion with her in his lap.

"It's a sprain," Hatori said with a glance at Hermione's severely swollen ankle. He bandaged up her ankle and left Ayame, Hermione, and Yuki to their conversation.

"What do you need to talk with me about?" Yuki asked as soon as they were alone again. "Pervert," he added under his breath. Hermione snickered while Ayame chose to ignore his brother's comment.

"Ayame and myself feel that we owe you the truth about our current situation," Hermione quietly spoke up then took a deep breath. "You see-"

"Little lion," Ayame lightly interrupted her then looked up at his brother. "I know you don't owe me anything," he looked down at his lap in shame, "but I ask of you to speak of what we are about to entrust you with to no one," he said quietly. Yuki's thoughts halted at the serious air his brother and wife were speaking with and gave them a short nod of agreement.

"It is not that easy," Hermione spoke gently. "If you will...I want to get to know you," she said hesitantly, "and to do that you will want to know about me also, but not just the parts of me that I put on for show." Yuki silently understood what she was saying, thinking about the parts of himself that he put on for show in his everyday life and wondered what she was like underneath the layers she hid from the world. "-this might sound extreme to you but it is a precaution to me and people like me," Hermione finished.

"Excuse me?" Yuki asked, confused because he allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts and only heard the last part of what she had said.

"She would like you to take a Vow," Ayame said gently. Yuki was quiet and thought back on the last words Hermione spoke, 'This might sound extreme to you but it is a precaution to me and people like me.'

"What do you mean 'people like you'?" Yuki asked. Hermione hesitated.

"I can only tell you that I am special in a certain way and there are others like me," she spoke mysteriously. Ayame smirked.

"Alright," Yuki said hesitantly. "I promise not to divulge your secrets to anyone." Hermione shook her head and Ayame snickered then quieted at Hermione's glare and cleared his throat.

"It's not that easy," Ayame gave him an anxious smile.

"You must state your name and whose secrets you promise not to speak of," Hermione instructed, pushing a piece of paper towards him. "Read it out loud," she said softly.

Yuki opened the folded paper and read, "I, Yuki Sohma, vow not to speak of the Wizarding World or their society to anyone other than those that already know of it or bear the consequences." A golden and black thread wrapped themselves around his left forearm and disappeared into his skin, binding him to his promise. "Is this a joke?" He looked up to see Hermione pushing a twig up one of her sleeves. She smiled and carefully removed the bandages from her injured ankle.

The purple hue her skin took on told of the seriousness of her injury, and the flinches she tried to hide told of the pain she was going through. Yuki watched as she placed her palms over her injured ankle and when she removed them her ankle was normal. It was no longer purple or severely swollen and one could not see the pain she experienced before she healed it with her magic.

"An illusion," he brushed it away. Ayame lifted an eyebrow and Hermione just gave him an understanding smile before disappearing with a _Pop_ and reappearing behind him. "Parlour tricks and mirrors," Yuki tried to explain more to himself now. Hermione looked to Ayame and he nodded. Yuki then found himself on four legs with something wiggling behind him. He hissed when he discovered he had a furry tail and panicked when he lifted his grey paw and jumped high enough to land on Shigure's bookshelf. He looked down at his laughing brother and a smirking Hermione and spat and hissed when he felt himself become weightless, his paws leaving the wood, and watching himself hovering centimetres above the floor.

"Now calm down Yuki," he heard Hermione admonish him. "You must stand still so I can turn you back to normal," she said gently as he hovered over the floor. After a few minutes, he decided he really did need to calm down then found himself standing on two feet again.

"A cat!" He hissed at the smirking couple.

"I kind of like cats," Hermione blushed. "And I missed Crookshanks," she paused, "my kneazle."

"Your kneazle?" Yuki asked. Hermione tried not to roll her eyes.

"Half-kneazle," she relented.

"Half-kneazle," he repeated disbelievingly. She glared and he tried not to flinch.

"I can turn you into a parrot if you like repeating me so much," she threatened. He shut his mouth and sat on the nearest cushion. "Now I am going to tell you a story about a man named Tom Marvolo Riddle and a baby named Harry Potter."

* * *

_he he he...I had fun turning Yuki into a cat for a little while..._


	9. IX Can You Repeat That?

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_Still own nothing (T_T)_

* * *

IX A Second Discovery

Hermione and Ayame sifted through an album of pictures of homes that were currently on the market. Kingsley sat back as he sipped on a cup of tea, quietly groaning in satisfaction at the flavours rolling past his taste buds. Hermione smiled at him when he unconsciously hummed aloud and he blushed. She chuckled, but understood how delicious a tea could be when brewed properly with the correct leaves and not tea bags filled with factory floor dropings.

"We should just build a home," Hermione said quietly, but with a little frustration in her tone. Ayame looked up from the album he held.

"It is quite expensive," he said gently. Hermione shook her head.

"We can purchase a piece of property and build with magic," she smiled at the idea. Kingsley stopped sipping his tea.

"I can clear the details with Minister Honda," he said thoughtfully and smiled at said wizard sitting next to him.

"I'm right here," the Minister chuckled. "There are no details to clear Mrs. Sohma-san," he teased Hermione and Ayame. "In fact," he smiled, "I know the perfect piece of property to build your home on." Hermione smiled thankfully. "Just outline what you both want and I will have your home ready by this time next week." Ayame looked stunned and slightly doubtful that a home could be built that fast. Hermione just smiled at him.

"Magic," she whispered conspiratorially. He silently laughed.

"Will wonders never cease," he whispered back. "She would like a fireplace connected to the floo network," Ayame said to the Minister.

"Of course," he smiled and turned to the knock on his office door. A tall man with dark blonde hair and sapphire coloured eyes entered and gave the group a polite greeting.

"To what do I owe the honour of this visit?" He spoke to Minister Honda politely. The Minister smiled.

"Healer Tomada Saski-san, I would like you to meet Hermione Sohma-san, formerly known as Hermione Granger-san, and this is her husband Ayame Sohma-san," he introduced the couple. The healer studied Hermione with interest. "This is Healer Saski-san," he said to Hermione. "He is the best in his field."

"Not the Hermione Granger," the healer spoke with awe. Hermione blushed and gave him a small nod. "It is a great honour to meet you," he bowed deeply. "I recommend your headache potion to expecting mothers suffering from migraines, and your research on Felix Felicis was well thought out and written," he said excitedly, Hermione blushing more with each word. "Your accomplishments are great for one so young. I dare say you may be a better healer than me."

"Thank you very much," she said softly, "You should know that Minister Honda-san is just teasing Ayame and me. We are not married," she smiled.

"Ah," he gave her a confused smile. "May I ask why you have given me the pleasure of meeting with Miss Granger-san?" Healer Saski asked the Minister. Hermione looked up at Ayame and Kingsley then folded back her jumper to show her small protruding stomach. "Congratulations," he smiled. "You look to be between four and five months along," he commented. Hermione sniffled in answer to his comment and Ayame comforted her.

"She is a little over fourteen weeks along," Ayame informed him.

"I recommended your skills to the Sohmas because I know you are the best in your field," Minister Honda said.

"Do you not already have a healer that you are currently seeing?" Healer Saski asked the couple. Hermione blushed.

"We were busy preparing to move when I found out so I have not had time to see a healer," she admitted. Both Ministers excused themselves to leave the trio to their personal business. "It was a healer that informed me of my...condition, and I am taking nutrient potions with every meal as she instructed." The healer gave her a satisfying nod while he cast diagnostic spells, and then smiled.

"Congratulations again," he said with twinkling eyes. "You are expecting twins." Hermione's vision went black.

* * *

_...sorry, this was one of those really really short chapters..._


	10. X Missing You I

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I can only wish I owned these characters, but I don't and someone else does :p_

* * *

X Absence, Abstinence

"Draco what is wrong with your father?" Harry whispered. Never in his whole life would he have ever thought the proud and arrogant Lucius Malfoy was capable of sulking. Draco visibly tensed for less than a second, not expecting a usually non-observant Harry to notice his Father's unusual behaviour, but it seemed someone had it out for him because the green-eyed Gryffindor also noticed his reaction to his question.

"Promise you won't get mad or yell," Draco said hesitantly, but his request was very serious. "In fact swear on your magic you won't get mad or yell." Harry looked back at Draco, taking in his humour-less words and very sombre expression, then back at the elder Malfoy sulking in Hermione's father's study. A vow would be worth getting to know what brought the arrogant man crashing back to earth.

"I swear on my magic that I will not yell," Harry compromised, if Draco was this serious about his reaction than he was very sure at least some anger on his part would be involved.

"You didn't say you would not get mad," he rolled his eyes.

"Well if you want me to promise not to get mad then chances are that I will be very upset with what you know and I don't," Harry concluded. Draco just shook his head and closed the doors to the study to make sure his father would not overhear what he was about to say to Harry. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"FatherwasfallingforHermione," he whispered quickly, hoping to get the admission out there as fast as humanly possible.

"What was that?" Harry asked, confused. Draco rolled his eyes again.

"FatherwasfallingforHermione," he whispered again quickly but a little slower. Harry's brows furrowed.

"All I got was something about Father and Hermione," Harry verified the words he understood. "But what I heard in between does not make any sense," he said slowly, shaking his head. "I mean...your father hates muggleborns right?" He asked, begging Draco with his eyes for his question to still have at least some truth to it, as backwards as that logic sounded in his head. Draco sighed before giving him an answer.

"I am not so sure any more," he admitted. Harry's face turned purple in under a second.

"What?!" He hissed through gritted teeth. Draco shushed him and looked towards the closed study doors apprehensively.

"Do you want him to know we kno-"

"What is going on out here?" Lucius lifted an eyebrow as he stood in the open doorway to the study. Harry glared at the Malfoy patriarch.

"Just wondering what you are still doing in Hermione's home," he bit out. Lucius looked down his nose at the green-eyed young man.

"Not that it is any of your business," he drawled. "Miss Granger gave her permission to let Draco and I reside in her home for as long as we need or want to during her absence and gave us the choice of selling her other home."

"Well you know what I think," Harry stated, not asked. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"I do not want to know what you think, but you are going to tell me what you think whether I want to know or not," he said arrogantly. Harry gave him a sardonic chuckle.

"I think I need a drink," he said to himself aloud. Lucius smirked.

"Now I can agree with that," he turned and strolled back into the study and pulled a bottle of firewhiskey out of the desk. Harry lifted an eyebrow.

"Hermione would kill you if she found out that you hid that in her father's desk," he said. Lucius lifted a neatly groomed eyebrow.

"What Hermione does not know will not upset her," he murmured as he served three tumblers of the whiskey. The three wizards each lifted a glass to the absent witch before knocking back the contents of their tumbler and serving another for themselves.

"So what is the news on the Manor?" Draco asked his father. Lucius sighed and swallowed the contents of his glass again before allowing Harry to serve him a third helping of firewhiskey.

"It will take at least six months to clear the rubble," he spoke in a resigned tone. Harry looked confused.

"Why not just vanish the remains?" He asked. Lucius gave Harry an incredulous look but his son spared him an explanation.

"Our family has many secrets," Draco answered evasively. Harry looked at him in confusion then it dawned on him. The Malfoy family's ancestral home was centuries old. There had to have been many secrets buried within the walls of their Manor or a portrait that may have survived the damage and was still stuck to a portion of wall. The Malfoy men would have to spend hours upon hours sifting through each piece of rubble, large and small, to find out if just one piece held a secret or still had a portrait or painting stuck to it, and to find items still buried underneath and in between everything. Luckily, they had magic to help them along with their search and clean-up.

"Well well," Severus drawled from the entryway. "Here I was going to invite you all to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, and there you all are having a drink and I did not even receive an invite," he sneered. Lucius shoved a tumbler towards the potions master and Severus glared before taking a sip of the amber liquid.

"If that invite is still open I would like to take you up on it," Lucius said before taking a sip from his fourth serving of firewhiskey. Severus took his friend's tumbler and drank the remaining contents. "What was that for?" Lucius glared at obstinate black eyes looking back at him nonchalantly.

"If we are going out for drinks the least I can do is catch up with you before we head out," Severus drawled. Lucius rolled his eyes and filled his friend's tumbler to the rim.

"You were saying?" He queried, lifting an eyebrow. Severus brought the tumbler to his lips and took a long drink.

"What are you planning on doing with the lands your Manor resided?" Severus asked conversationally. Lucius fought not to roll his eyes at the commonly asked question.

"What is all this interest in my Manor all of a sudden?" He asked, irritated by the repetitiveness. "It was there, it is gone. I am going to clean the damn mess up!" He slammed his fist into the desk. Harry glared at the older wizard.

"Is that the only thing you are cleaning up?" Draco asked lightly. Severus observed his brother's reactions to Draco's question. Lucius sat up straighter in his seat and cleared his face of every emotion he unwittingly showed.

"Not that it is any business of yours," he sneered at his son. Draco rolled his eyes at his father.

"On the contrary Lucius," Severus spoke carefully. "As it so happens, it is everyone's business." He handed him the evening edition of the Daily Prophet.

_Lucius Malfoy, eligible bachelor, donates large sum of galleons to help clean up and rebuild Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_By Rita Skeeter_

"Do they not know the meaning of anonymous?!" He hissed, wandlessly setting the paper aflame. Severus shook his head disapprovingly at Lucius reaction and waved the ashes into a waste bin. "How did that blasted woman even find out about this?" He sneered.

"Only Hermione can answer that last question," Harry muttered under his breath. Lucius turned his enraged stormy grey eyes onto Harry.

"What does that mean?" He ordered the green-eyed teenager to tell him. Harry unconsciously squirmed in his seat at Lucius's commanding tone, feeling like a child being questioned by his father.

"Well," Harry began hesitantly. "Did anyone ever wonder why Skeeter suddenly stopped slashing Hermione in her articles during the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" He asked. Severus, Lucius, and Draco lifted an eyebrow in interest. "Believe me if I knew the answer to your question and mine..." his words drifted off. "Suffice it to say that Hermione found out something interesting about Skeeter and now that Hermione has disappeared the shark is off its leash and tearing through every and any piece of news or gossip she can sink her rotten teeth into," he sneered at his own words and at the thought of Rita Skeeter on the loose again.

Severus lifted his tumbler. "To Hermione," he said softly, finishing off the contents of his drink. Lucius served himself another drink and lifted it to the dearly missed witch along with Draco and Harry.

HeArT*hEaRt

The curly-haired witch sitting in his lap resembled Hermione so much. He smirked down at her before whispering in her ear, "Where have you been?" The woman looked up at him with a sultry smile.

"I've been here all along," she answered, her high voice sounding like nails scratching across a green chalkboard. Lucius winced at the sound and frowned.

"You are not Hermione," he observed in his drunken state. The woman continued giving him what she thought was a sexy, come-hither smile. Severus lifted an eyebrow, gazing interestedly at an inebriated Lucius.

"I can be anyone you want me to be," she said suggestively while rubbing her breasts into his hard chest, and moaned at the contact. Lucius's face turned red in anger and stood up abruptly, knocking the surprised woman down to the floor where she landed on her bum with a flinch.

"You can never be Hermione!" He shouted at her. "You disgust me!" He stomped out of the Leaky Cauldron and his best friend, son, and Harry Potter hastily followed in his wake.

"I think your father already fell for Hermione," Harry commented to Draco while helping Severus escort the drunken blond home.

"This is Hermione's room," Draco tried to pull his father towards his own room. Lucius pulled his arm away and continued on towards the bed, falling onto it and sniffing the bed covers and pillows. Draco tried not to look disgusted, but knew he was failing. "What has gotten into you?" He whispered, closing the door on his now passed out father.

"Only you Hermione," a sleeping Lucius whispered in his sleep. "Only you."

….

"You should get some sleep Draco," Severus said to his exhausted Godson. "You have a long trip tomorrow and travelling by floo is exhausting." Draco nodded his acquiescence and gratefully headed up to his own room.

* * *

_My apologies again for taking forever to post these new chapters..._


	11. XI Missing You II

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I would really like to own these characters (~.-) but I do not :p_

* * *

XI Missing You

A tear fell onto the photograph and Hermione wiped it away, being careful not to smear the already dry black ink. She could not understand why she was missing him so much. Before they shared a bed for a few minutes he was civil with her and at times considerate in his own way, and after, after he allowed her to see a pleasant side of himself she never could have thought was there. Then there were the two conversations with Draco that she over heard. He would not allow his pure bloodlines to become tainted by her half-blood children.

That was when she knew she would do everything and anything to keep her unborn children safe from him, from his bigotry, from his prejudice. Still, she sighed internally with frustration because she missed him, his presence, his smell, the silkiness of his hair, his eyes. She growled at herself out loud, pushing back the onslaught of tears that threatened to fall. One tear still escaped and fell onto the black and white photograph.

"What are you thinking about so intensely Hermione-san?" Hatori asked with a hint of amusement and worry in his tone. Hermione again carefully wiped a tear away from the picture and looked up at him.

"Everything," she answered softly. He sat down beside her, looking out over the rock garden Ayame wanted to include with the home he and Hermione now lived in, weighing the words in his mind that he wanted to ask her.

"What did the father say?" He asked carefully. Hermione held back a sob and Hatori let his worry show, wondering if he crossed a line.

"He does not know," she finally answered, her voice breaking on the last word. He was silent.

"Why?" He finally asked after a few moments. "If I were the father I would definitely want to know," He again said carefully, weighing the words before he spoke them. Hermione gave a sardonic laugh.

"If _you_ were the father I definitely would have told you," she answered, and then sighed. "My world is very complicated," she whispered.

"How?" Hatori asked. Hermione gave him a watery smile.

"He is a pureblood and I am a mudblood," she said quietly. He looked confused and a little irritated at the word 'mudblood', already figuringing it meant something unpleasant. Hermione observed his reactions and remembered she had never opened up to him about her past.

"I come from a non-magical family who are called muggles because they don't wield magic. He comes from a family that can trace their magical roots back to Merlin himself," she explained in a soft voice. "Therefore I am called a mudblood, or muggle-born, and he is a pureblood who doesn't want to stain his line with half-bloods." Hatori looked confused.

"Then why did he sleep with you?" He finally asked. Hermione shrugged. "He should still know," Hatori said carefully, eyeing Hermione critically.

"He should," she quietly agreed, then looked at him. "I would tell him if I was not certain that he would seek us out just to kill them before they had a chance to breathe outside of my womb," she whispered, holding her swollen stomach protectively. Hatori sucked in a breath.

"It still weighs on your conscience," he pointed out knowingly. Hermione nodded and wiped away a tear. "You said your world is very primitive," he remembered from a past conversation with her about owls and floos. Hermione again nodded. He smiled and took the photograph from her hand. "You can still tell him." Hermione frowned, and then smiled.

Hatori watched as she pulled out her wand and pointed it at her owl. He interestedly watched as the midnight owl glowed white then pecked at her fingers. Hermione smiled at her owl, Apollo, and tied an envelope to his leg.

"Don't wait for an answer," she said to him. "Take your time delivering it, but leave quickly when he takes the letter." Apollo nipped her fingers to show her he understood. Hermione smiled and petted the owl before placing treats inside a loosely tied leather satchel. "Food for your journey," she smiled at the owl and he gave her a thankful hoot before flying away.

"What spell did you put on him?" Hatori asked. Hermione chuckled.

"It was a spell so he could not be tracked or traced," she answered. "A spell of my own making so it can only be removed by me," she smirked.

"Mione-chan is swift with her wand and silent with her spells," Ayame smiled as he went to sit by his cousin. "Speaking of spells," he said pointedly. Hermione sadly shook her head at him.

"My research shows that no spell can remove the curse," she answered his unvoiced question. "Not even a potion would remove it," she said silently, looking at the torn men. She sat next to Ayame, gave his hand a small squeeze, and smiled. "I have come to the conclusion that the rat and cat have to fully accept each other." Hatori did not look very hopeful.

"I am envious of you," he whispered to Ayame, and then looked at him with longing eyes. "You no longer have to deal with the curse." 'You are free and I'm not,' was unspoken by him, but still heard by the two. Hermione reached over Ayame for Hatori's hand.

"Tohru-san is working wonders with them," she said quietly while holding Ayame's hand with her left hand and Hatori's with her right. "They don't even realise that they are agreeing about small things more and more each day," she smiled. Hatori looked at her hopefully and she smiled at him. "Soon," she whispered, giving their hands a light squeeze to reassure them. "Though we must make sure no one interferes with their progress." Ayame and Hatori gave her a determined nod.

"You'll be late," Ayame said after a few moments. Hermione glanced at her wristwatch and cursed. Hatori covered his smile and Hermione blushed. Ayame laughed and stood up, helping Hermione to her feet while she complained about being as big as a hippopotamus. The men just smiled and reassured her that she as pretty as a cherry blossom. Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled at the analogy and allowed Ayame to escort her to the floo.

"I will never get used to that," Hatori said after the green flames returned to their normal orange colour. He withheld a shiver at the thought of a person willingly stepping into hot burning flames. Ayame silently agreed with his cousin.

HeArt*hEaRt

Hermione quickly made her way down the marble corridor of the Ministry, inwardly thankful that the people seemed unconcerned with whom she was and what she accomplished. One or two would give her a wide smile and an acknowledging nod and continue on their way. She tried to smile at that, but the noise level of the large crowds still made her a bit nervous. Someone dropped a large tome and she jumped in surprise, managing to remain calm, whereas in the near past she would have found somewhere where she felt safe to hide away. She tried to scurry away from the crowded Atrium of the Japanese Ministry and sighed with relief when she spotted a usually empty corridor just ahead.

She almost made it out of the crowds when a flurry of dark grey, almost black robes cut in front of her. She ended up colliding into the other person, fully expecting her bum to meet the hard marble flooring in a most painful manner. She was very thankful when the person in the grey robes held her, stopping her backward motion. Hermione looked up to thank her saviour and met surprised grey eyes and tousled white-blond hair.

"Hermione," Draco Malfoy breathed, and brought her fully against his chest in a tight embrace. His eyebrows lifted in surprise and he stared down at her swollen stomach. Hermione stood in his arms, looking up at him, speechless. "How? When? Have you been here all along? Who's the father?" He asked the stunned witch, gently shaking her when she stayed silent. His shake brought her out of her stunned state of mind and she quickly pulled him into the abandoned corridor she had been heading for before colliding into him.

"Draco," she choked, holding onto him again. He held her, allowing her tears to soak into his no longer immaculate dark grey robes. "I missed you so much," she whispered. "I miss everyone every day." He held onto her tighter.

"I'm taking you home," he said determinedly, pulling her back towards the crowds in the Atrium.

"No you can't!" Hermione dug her heels into the marble flooring, pulling herself back. Draco stopped, giving her a confused look.

"Why Hermione?" He asked, and then looked furious. "Has someone threatened you?" He asked tersely. "Tell me who!" He demanded. Hermione shook her head at the floor.

"It's not like that Draco," she said softly, looking up at him. "I must ask you to do something for me," Hermione said quietly to an already agreeing Draco. "But it is going to be one of the hardest things you have ever had to do," she added. He hesitated.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked slowly, carefully. Hermione took a deep breath.

"I need you to swear on your magic that you will not tell anyone that I am here or that I am pregnant," she said quietly.

"Why Hermione?" He asked, pleaded with her though he didn't quite know why. It was for many different things he concluded. He wanted to know why she felt she had to leave the way she did, why she was keeping her condition from everyone when he knew they would be happy for her, he was...most of all he wanted to know why she was hiding herself away in another country. "I can obliviate you," she quietly threatened after a pregnant silence. Draco looked down at her in surprise, feeling for his wand in his left robe pocket and gasped. Hermione pushed his wand up her left sleeve. "Please," she begged softly.

"Is it that important to you?" He asked. Hermione nodded profusely. "I swear on my magic that I will tell no one that you are here in Japan or that you are currently pregnant." Hermione gave him a relieved look. "Now will you tell me everything?" He asked. Hermione tensed.

"Please don't be mad at me," she said with tear-filled eyes. Draco frowned at her, wondering why she could ever think he would be mad with her, and then gave her a stiff nod in agreement. Hermione pulled him into an abandoned office along the corridor and warded the room. "Did your father tell anyone how I cured him?" She asked quietly after they were both comfortably situated in the small office.

"No," he frowned. "Not a soul." Hermione took time gathering her thoughts, and then finally looked up at Draco.

"Has your father accepted your relationship with Caroline?" Hermione asked softly. Draco slowly shook his head as he stared down at the flat top of the desk he had chosen to sit at.

"No," he said quietly. "That's odd because-" he stopped himself. Hermione looked at him curiously.

"Because what?" She asked when he looked at her oddly.

"Just no," he said. Hermione knew he wanted to drop the subject but continued.

"What would you do if Caroline were to become pregnant? What would he do?" She hesitantly asked, knowing she was treading dangerous waters, but also needing to know, desperately. Draco tried not to become upset with her when she continued on with a subject with which he wanted to digress, but then he started thinking about the questions she was asking, reading between the lines that could only be 'Hermione talk', as he liked to call it.

"How did you cure my father?" He suddenly asked. Hermione tried not to look away, to break eye contact, but she did, and lightly blushed. Draco suddenly became more interested in this subject. "Hermione?" He gently prodded.

"I had to invent a new spell," she said quietly. "_Vivicare_, to-"

"To give life," Draco said for her, a candle beginning to brighten in his mind. "How did you use it?"

"How does one give life?" Hermione asked the question she based her theory on. Draco instantly thought of Voldemort and suppressed a shiver. "No," Hermione shook her head, correctly interpreting his line thought. "Not anything as dark as that. In fact I can say the answer was not found in any dark text even though the books I used for the research came from Severus's personal library." He looked relieved at that unexpected admission, but raised an eyebrow in interest.

"I can't think of anything a light or grey text would offer," he admitted. "My family kept mostly dark texts in our library collections." Hermione suppressed a knowing smile.

"A few days before I founded a solid theory I had a visit from Ginny," Hermione said quietly. "I felt the life growing inside her," she smiled softly. A light turned on in Draco's eyes.

"Babies," he said quietly. "Is he-? Are you?" He suddenly flushed from mixed emotions of embarrassment, from what his half-questions implied, and anger. Hermione neither confirmed nor denied the rest of his unvoiced questions.

"Infants need a mother's milk to survive," she continued in soft tones. "A mother's milk gives her child life." Draco sputtered, turning redder. "For the antidote to work the giver had to be pure and completely willing to give a part of her life giving sustenance," she whispered.

"So he drank your milk," Draco said flatly, his pink cheeks turning red, this time more from embarrassment than anger, but the pieces of the 'Hermione puzzle' were still out of place in his mind. "Is that all?" He asked quietly. Hermione hesitated, not unnoticed by Draco, and then shook her head.

"I couldn't think," she whispered, blushing. "His mouth was on me..." Draco blushed from embarrassment and wanted her to stop explaining, but knew he needed her to continue, "...and then," she choked, "he pulled my jeans off when I asked what he was doing-"

"He took you unwillingly?!" He interrupted, demanding to know and growing angry at the thought of his father taking one of his best friends without her permission. Hermione shook her head profusely and continued when he calmed.

"It hurt when he entered me," she whispered. Draco red from embarrassment at hearing about his fathers exploits and anger at him for doing this to her. "Then it felt nice at the end," she blushed, wishing to finish the current topic, which she was sure Draco was also grateful for. "Mrs. Weasley came before we could collect ourselves and then we were off to Grimmauld Place-"

"And you became frightened and hid for two days," he finished for her. He had heard about that incident from his Uncle Severus.

"After that I completely forgot about a contraception potion or charm," she choked out the last word.

"It was too late by then anyway," Draco said quietly. "And no decent Healer would openly suggest or even hint at an abortion potion unless your own life was in danger from possible complications resulting from the pregnancy." Hermione looked at him with confusion as to why they would not offer that as an option. "The wizarding world views pregnancies as a highly given blessing, especially because not many pureblooded woman conceive easily or at all, you should know that," he tried to tease her but it came out lame. Hermione gave him a small smile for the effort but knew he did not voice what lengths the wizards would go to, to keep their lines 'pure'.

"I'm going to be a brother," he breathed, smiling widely at the thought, then frowned. "But my father should-"

"No," Hermione shook her head. "I've told him in a completely muggle way," she smirked, and then smiled sadly. "If you are one hundred percent sure he would not try to harm my babies then I will tell him to his face," she silently challenged him. All the puzzles of Draco's 'Hermione puzzle' clicked into place.

'What would he do if Caroline were pregnant?' He repeated Hermione's earlier question to himself, but replace 'he' with his father and Hermione with Caroline. He thought back on his father's words and actions a few nights past when he was on the piss...but still could not be sure Lucius would not try to harm his growing siblings...'Siblings?!' "Babies?!" His eyes grew wide. Hermione chuckled.

"I was wondering when you would catch on," she teased. He grew more determined to keep Hermione and his siblings safe from what he was afraid his father might do to keep the Malfoy bloodline pure.

"I'll quietly set up accounts for you and them..." he began but drifted off when Hermione started shaking her head at his words. "Why?" He asked. "It is their legacy too now, not just mine."

"I know," she whispered. "I know. But they are mine and I need to, want to, provide for them on my own." Draco moved from behind the desk to take the chair next to Hermione.

"In a sense they are mine too," he smiled, then chuckled quietly at the thought. Hermione frowned. "They are my brothers or sisters or brother and sister...and you may not like it but they are Malfoys and I am going to see to it that they inherit their part of our legacy." Hermione didn't know whether to glare or accept the truth of his words and gave him a resigned sigh.

"Well now that you know what I am doing here, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked. Draco smirked and pulled a small container out of his pocket. Hermione looked confused for a second then laughed. "Is that a Japanese fire pixie?" She asked, already knowing the answer but entertaining Draco all the same. He nodded while looking at the glowing magical creature.

"Thought I could introduce it to my second year pupils," he smirked. "Where are you staying?" He suddenly asked.

"Close to Ayame's family," she tried not to frown at the thought of Akito, who had her memory erased but was breathing down Ayame's neck everyday.

"I can't believe no one has thought to trace him," Draco laughed at everyone's blunder.

"Does Kingsley know you are here?" Hermione asked. Another light went off in Draco's head.

"He knows," he stated, inwardly glaring at the wizard. "I have to hand it to him, he's a good actor," Draco smirked. "For a Gryffindor," he added. Hermione playfully nudged him and exaggerated a roll of her eyes. "But you," he continued, but with a wider smirk, "Are a snake in a lion's skin."

* * *

_..._


	12. XII The Posting Card I

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_Harry attempted to use his 'Saviour of the Wizarding World' status to negotiate rights for me…alas he was unsuccessful…and I am still writing these disclaimers :p_

* * *

XII Postcard

"Close that door!" Harry instantly slammed the door at the unexpectedly barked order, and a black object swerved above his head to avoid hitting it. He gave Lucius a confused look then turned back to the door as it was flung open again.

"Thought that was funny _Potter_? Thought you would have a laugh because I was carrying the egg-" Severus rant was cut off with the need to duck to avoid a head-to-flying owl collision along with the simultaneous yell from Lucius to, again, close the door. Lucius's shoulders slumped when the owl finally made it outside.

"I told him to Sev," he said dejectedly. "That owl was from Hermione." Severus and Harry turned to watch the rapidly disappearing black dot making its way back to its owner in the fading blue sky.

"What did Hermione send?" Harry asked. Lucius's eyes lit up. He had forgotten about her letter addressed to him and instead concentrated on catching that blasted owl that had escaped in the end. He quickly straightened himself out and strode towards the library.

"Can't be that hard to catch a damn owl," Severus muttered while applying cleaning spells to his dark jeans and black turtle neck pull-over.

"I tried accioing the blasted thing into a cage but it defied all spells and charms," he answered his best friend's quiet rant. Severus lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"She is the brightest witch of her age," he laughed. Lucius rolled his eyes but grabbed the letter he left at the writing desk. He opened it and gave the contents a confused look. It was a muggle picture, he finally realised. Why would she send him that?

"What's written on the back?" Harry asked, then lightly blushed and apologised for intruding on what seemed to be a personal letter to the elder Malfoy from Hermione. He looked away feeling the edges of the folded parchment in his pocket, his own personal letter from his best friend and surrogate sister. Lucius quickly turned the picture over, running his fingers over Hermione's tidy feminine script.

_Two lives for a life twice saved -Hermione_

He was confused. He turned the words turning over in his head but could not make out her riddle. "What is this?" He asked aloud. Severus and Harry took that as an invitation to snatch the picture out of his unexpecting hand. Lucius glared, but let them continue.

"I have no idea," Severus answered, furrowing his brows.

"Odd picture for a postcard," Harry commented. "You would think she would send you a picture of forget-me-nots," he smirked and Severus laughed, handing the picture back to his brother. Lucius carefully tucked the postcard back into the envelope while thinking of a certain disillusioned forget-me-not currently pinned to his lapel.

"Odd though," Severus said thoughtfully. "Postcards are not usually mailed in envelopes." Lucius lifted a curious eyebrow at that.

"How are they usually mailed then?" He asked.

"Without an envelope," Harry answered. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"That does not make sense, odd muggles," he said under his breath. "The picture would get ruined in bad weather." Harry and Severus snickered but silently agreed with him.

"What's all this here?" The wizards turned to the tired voice standing in the Library threshold.

"You are a day late," Lucius said to his son. Draco gave him a tired smirk.

"Just met...an old friend," he waved the topic away and plopped himself on a chaise, the magic binding him to his oath quickly faded away. Lucius sneered.

"Really Draco, such behaviour is-"

"Unbefitting of a Malfoy," Draco tiredly interrupted his father's beginning lecture and rolled his eyes. Lucius frowned.

"Hermione sent your father a postcard," Harry said quickly, hoping to diffuse an argument between father and son. Lucius glared in his direction and Draco smirked.

"See father," he began. "Now you have a...what is a posting card?" He asked.

"Postcard," Severus corrected his Godson, handing him a tumbler of firewhiskey. Lucius sighed in frustration but allowed his son to read the postcard. Draco choked on the drink. 'Could her words be any more obvious?!' He yelled in his head.

"Careful!" Lucius snatched his postcard away from his son with a glare and carefully vanished the fluids his son splattered all over the picture, and then tucked it back into the envelope for safekeeping. Three wizards gave him obvious looks while he did all this, unnoticed by him because he was too busy charming the postcard to survive any more spillages or unwanted finger smudges that may occur with constant handling.

"Odd," Severus commented lightly. Everyone turned to him. "A postcard is meant to be mailed without an envelope, as Potter already mentioned, and Hermione could have placed the same preserving charms on it Lucius just did." Lucius tried not to blush and instead sneered and cleared his throat before serving himself a tumbler of firewhiskey.

"Get some rest Draco," Lucius ordered. "We have an early day tomorrow at the Manor. Just one more month and we can start the plans for a new and improved Manor," he sighed.

"I thought we were behind," Draco's brows furrowed.

"Potter was kind enough to help us during your absence," Severus said, giving said person a thankful glance before wiping the distasteful look off his face. Harry smirked but understood that some habits were hard to break.

"Mister Potter has a knack for finding hidden objects and I dare say we will be able to finish a month earlier than originally planned," Lucius commented, his compliment to Harry well hidden in the meaning of his words.

hEaRt*HeArT

Lucius Malfoy stood at the top of the hill looking out over the remains of the proud Manor that once stood for all his beliefs. The bigotry he was raised to believe in, the family pride and arrogance that Malfoy's were the best and are the best, the legacy he had inherited and intended for his son to inherit...all crumpled to dust by prejudice and hate. A wizard he once revered for his power and beliefs lay with the rubble of his once proud Manor.

As he did everyday for four months, he was determined to sweep away more of his previous life along with the remains of the Manor that stood for what he once stood for. He was thankful to the witch who gave him two second chances at life. '_Two lives for a life twice saved_,' her words repeated in his head. He was more determined now to live a life worthy of the witch he once saved.

He was thankful for a lot of reasons, he realised as he stood atop the hill that would look over the new Manor that would take the place of the old. 'New,' he smiled to himself. New life, new legacy for his son, new blood. He glanced at his son, the person who changed the course of his life with bravery and the ability to think beyond the prejudices that were instilled in him since birth. Lucius looked down at the rubble in shame for teaching his son those things.

"I am so sorry my dragon," he whispered, trying not to choke on the words as they slowly rolled off this tongue. He figured that would be a just ending for him...to die with those last words.

"For what?" Draco asked softly, saving those words to mull over while they worked today. Something was changing in his father, he could not pin it yet, but his instincts screamed at him that this change would be big. They would be life changing for his father and maybe himself.

"For everything," Lucius breathed out, trying to maintain an even tone without cracking his words or choking on them. "For raising you to be as prideful as myself, arrogant. For teaching you the lies I was taught. For not being a better father," he finally choked. Draco did not know what to do. 'Hermione is better at these kinds of moments,' his mind instantly thought of her and he grabbed his father's hand to encourage him.

"You showed me the way," Lucius whispered, holding tightly to his son's hand. "I was supposed to show you the way but your choice showed me how wrong I was," he said quietly. "Thank you so much my son," he tried to hold back the tears, but one escaped despite his efforts and gleamed in the rays of the rising sun. Draco knew that moment in time would be forever etched in his memory...the moment his father finally allowed his true feelings to break through his ice cold façade with their home crumpled to bits in the background, just like his father. The moment was picture perfect in his mind.

"Marry her," Lucius said firmly, then looked over at his son. "Go marry your witch," he smiled. Draco was speechless.

"But you said-" he finally managed.

"I know what I said," Lucius interrupted in a hard tone. "That was the old me speaking," he said harshly, then pointed at the remains of their legacy. "That is what will happen to me if I do not change." Draco silently agreed. "You know the path we must take my precious dragon, and you have showed me the way...it is time I followed you," he said softly.

"What about blood?" Draco asked quietly. Lucius sighed, lifting his head to the skies and the rising sun.

"I honestly do not care about that any more," Lucius admitted, then laughed. "I honestly do not care. Any witch you choose I will gladly accept...as long as she is not a Knockturn Alley whore," he lightly jested. "And any grandchildren you give me I will love with all my heart," he said quietly.

Draco choked. He wanted so much to tell his father he knew where Hermione was, that he was going to be a father again, but his oath was binding him. Lucius looked at his son curiously.

"I have to send an owl," he said hurriedly, preparing to apparate away.

"To who?" Lucius asked.

"Her-," he choked, "...she, Caroline," he finally said in place of Hermione's name. Lucius gave him a short nod.

"Be back soon," he said quietly.

….

Severus pushed a letter into Draco chest with a roll of his eyes. "We've already tried this approach," he drawled. "She is either staying somewhere with a Fidelius charm on the place or has rendered herself untraceable." Draco looked down at the letter addressed in his handwriting to Hermione and internally groaned.

"I have to go," he said quickly. Lucius gave his son a disapproving look.

"We are almost done for today, your business can wait," he said...ordered. Draco groaned out loud, earning another disapproving gaze from his father and one from his Uncle. He would have to go back to Hogwarts after that day and it was too late to floo Hermione. He was too tired to apparate and his magic levels were not high enough for him to even attempt to apparate that long distance, then he smacked his forehead.

"Finally figuring out what we already discovered," Severus smirked. Draco half-heartedly glared at his Godfather. He sighed, he either had to figure out a way around his oath or find a way to contact Hermione or hope she would contact him first...hopefully with floo directions.

* * *

_I would just like to say Thank You to everyone who takes the time to read this story, and say Thank You again to those who choose to review_

_Thank You (^.^)_


	13. XIII The Posting Card II

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I wish I had actual magic...that way I could actually bring Ayame and Lucius to life (-.~) ...but then I would not own them :( I still do not own them or any of these characters (T_T)_

* * *

XIII Unexpected Surprises

"This is a lovely home," Draco's companion smiled while he helped her remove her coat. He smiled back.

"It's Hermione's," he said. "We're just borrowing it for the time being." She laughed.

"It will be fine," Draco reassured her when he detected an apprehensive note in her laugh. She smiled and allowed him to guide her towards a room.

"Are you sure?" She whispered, stopping when he did before the closed doors on the main floor.

"I promise all will be well," he whispered back.

"I can still hear you, you know," Lucius's voice carried through the closed doors. Draco's companion lightly blushed and he chuckled, rubbing her arms reassuringly when the doors to the study flew open. Lucius lifted an eyebrow at the couple.

"You must be Caroline," the corners of his mouth lifted. Caroline stood speechless before the power and dominate authority Draco's father emanated...oozed from his very being.

"Yes," she finally squeaked out, and then blushed a little more. Lucius lifted her hand and laid a small kiss on her knuckles.

"Please pardon my son's horrid manners," he drawled, giving Draco a disapproving glance. "I thought I had at least taught him that much. I am Lucius Malfoy. Draco's father," he said quietly, guiding the couple into the study and taking a seat behind the desk. Draco cleared his throat.

"Father, this is my fiancée Caroline Locksley," he finally introduced his witch.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Lucius smiled softly while handing his son a tumbler with firewhiskey and Caroline one of sherry. Caroline's vision landed on a black and white photograph, sitting atop the desk, when she again blushed.

"I am sorry for being nosy," she said quietly. "But congratulations. Draco never told me you were expecting." Draco choked on the contents of his tumbler, again splattering a certain postcard. Lucius glared at his son, while again, carefully removing the fluids from the picture.

"Do you have something against Hermione's postcard?" Lucius asked Draco disapprovingly, and then turned to Caroline without waiting for an answer from his son. "Who is expecting what?" He asked politely. Caroline shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It really is none of my business." Draco glared at his father.

"Nonsense!" Lucius declared. "You are already a part of the family," he handed the postcard to her. Caroline beamed at him and gave him a silent thank you, then carefully studied the photograph.

"Oh my!" She smiled. "It's twins!" Draco blanched, and then gave a relieved laugh to himself. So this was Hermione's muggle way of letting his father know. He still did not know how the picture would silently tell his father he was to soon be a father to more children so he decided to let the conversation continue.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked innocently, encouraging the topic they were discussing. "We thought it was a postcard from Hermione to my father." Caroline's mouth dropped open.

"I-I don't know if I should be the one to tell you then," she said quietly.

"Do tell us," Draco said encouragingly. "Is she in trouble?" He asked worriedly, smirking inwardly at playing the concerned friend.

"No! No," Caroline's voice rose then fell. She sighed. "This is completely muggle technology. The picture is from an ultrasound, or a sonogram," she slowly explained. They both gave her a confused look. "It is basically a picture of the babies she is carrying." Lucius's tumbler slipped from his long nimble fingers and shattered on the wooden flooring. Caroline jumped in shock and Draco reassuringly patted her hand while looking at the picture in what he hoped was shock showing on his face.

"B-babies?" Lucius breathed. Draco managed to conjure some of the anger he felt when Hermione first told him the story of how his siblings were conceived.

"What did you do to her?!" He hissed. Lucius visibly shrunk back in his chair.

"It was once," he whispered, "just once," he breathed. "I have to find her," he said more firmly abruptly standing, the remains of the crystal glass crunching under his shoes. "I have to find her," he repeated, the words written on the back of the sonogram taking on a completely new meaning as they registered in his head.

"She heard father," Draco spoke up, stopping what would be an abrupt departure from his father. Lucius turned and looked at his son inquiringly, waiting for him to continue. "She heard us that day when we argued in here," he refused to say about what in front of his fiancée. Lucius closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, and nodded before quitting the room.

HeArT*hEaRt

"Mione-chan," Ayame sniffed. Hermione snickered at his drenched clothing.

"What did you do this time Aya-chan?" She smirked. He pouted.

"I just got cold," he whined. Hermione shook her head, knowing there was more to his scant explanation, so looked at a calm Yuki with a lifted eyebrow.

"Pervert climbed up her dress," he said simply, pointing at a blushing Tohru. Hermione bit back a laugh, fighting to keep a smile from appearing on her face.

"Ayame, you know better," she admonished him, knowing he still could not help but turn into his snake form when the weather got too cold, but was learning to control the abrupt change. They were both surprised when he, one day, suddenly changed into his snake form. When he changed back Hermione pulled him into a hug, the duo thinking the curse may have come back, but he did not change. After a bit of research, Hermione theorized that the zodiac family members had a very small amount of 'dormant' magic that allowed the curse to carry on from member to member, and that small bit of magic is what Ayame now had to learn to control so he would not spontaneously change into a snake.

"But I was cold," he whined again. Hermione held back a snort.

"Well there were Yuki-san's trousers," she suggested, openly laughing at the look of horror that crossed Yuki's face. Ayame beamed at his brother. "Kyo-san would have been happy to offer his body heat in place of Tohru." Kyo glared at the pregnant witch but did not disagree either, for Tohru's sake. "And Yuki-san," she caught his attention. "I am tired of having half of my lake inside my house. It is killing my back to wipe away all the water." Yuki looked duly chastised.

"Oh I'll clean it for you!" Tohru politely bowed and rushed to grab the proper cleaning materials. Hermione shook her head and held the girl back.

"No, but thank you Tohru-san," she softly smiled at her. "You just sit with me and chat while Yuki-san and Aya-chan clean up their mess," she smirked at the duo while fingering the wand up her right sleeve, an action that did not go unnoticed by the brothers so they did not make any arguments. They quickly grabbed mops and a bucket to get to work on cleaning Hermione's floors.

"How do you do it?" Shigure asked curiously.

"Have you ever upset a pregnant woman?" Hermione asked, lifting an eyebrow. "The _magic_ of hormones," she smirked at him, only Hatori caught her double meaning and smiled, surprising Shigure.

"You do wonders for this family," he commented. Hermione just smiled sadly and excused herself to go and sit in Ayame's rock garden.

"Don't let his comment bother you," Hermione heard Yuki speak up behind her a while later. She gave him the same sad smile. "Hermione-san may not be my sister-in-law but I have come to see her as such," he quietly admitted. "How are my niece and nephew?" He asked.

"Killing me slowly," she smiled and playfully rolled her eyes. "How are things in Shigure-san's home?" She asked.

"Complicated," Yuki sighed. "Though I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You like Tohru-san," Hermione commented. Yuki stilled.

"I did. I do...just not in that way any more," he said quietly. "I know Kyo-kun likes her that way and I think she likes him that way...I just want her to be happy. Even if, in the process, it makes Kyo-kun happy also." Hermione smiled.

"You are a big person," she said lightly.

"Has Ayame-san named any rocks?" Yuki smiled and Hermione laughed.

"That is bob," she pointed to a big rock. "That is bob," she pointed to another. "Oh! And there is Bob also," she and Yuki laughed. "And let me introduce you to-"

"Bob," Yuki politely interrupted with a smile. Hermione shook her head.

"No, he named that one Bobbette because I said there were too many Bobs." They laughed.

"Thankfully he is not my niece and nephew's father," Yuki smiled. "Otherwise he would have already named them Bob and Bobbette." Hermione gave him a playful terrified look and they both laughed again. "He is too much," Yuki whispered after they both calmed. Hermione smiled softly.

"That may be...but in the end he still loves you," she said softly.

"I have a feeling you are going to leave soon," he whispered. Hermione shook her head.

"If I do leave I will be taking more then what I came with," she smiled at him.

"What do you mean?" Yuki asked.

"Now that I know you I would not leave you behind," she admittied and he looked surprised. "I would take the three of you with me, along with Aya," she gave him a soft smile.

"Akito-san would not allow that," Yuki looked down at his shoes trying to hide the fear that was taking the place of mirth in his eyes. Hermione gently turned his head toward her with her palms.

"I have dealt with Akito-san before," Hermione said firmly. "If I do leave soon you just be ready." Yuki softly smiled.

"I can see why my brother adopted you," he chuckled. "Are you sure you would not mind the mice?" He teased. Hermione lifted an eyebrow.

"I know a few repelling charms," she whispered conspiratorially.

"_Achoo!_" They turned in the direction of the sneeze. "Are you trying to steal my wife?" Ayame teased. Hermione chuckled.

"No," Yuki shook his head. "But I am trying to sway her to my side," he smirked and Hermione laughed then frowned when Ayame sneezed again.

"I should have made you change before cleaning," she sighed and struggled to stand. Yuki and Ayame helped her to her feet. "I feel like a bloated whale," she sniffed, allowing Ayame to comfort her. She took advantage of his embrace and felt his forehead. "I don't know if you want to be here for this," she said to Yuki. He looked at her curiously. "Aya is going to need a Pepper-Up potion."

"That sounds happy," he commented.

"Oh he'll be ecstatic," she said wryly. "And louder," she added.

"I think it is about time we go home," Yuki suddenly said. "Good luck," he said to Hermione before heading back inside to suggest that it was time to leave.

"Come on," Hermione pulled Ayame towards the bathroom and started filling the tub with hot water. "When you are done in here I will have the potion waiting for you on the table," she said before leaving.

"Thank you Mione-chan," he smiled.

"You're welcome Aya-chan," she chuckled and kneeled over in pain after she closed the bathroom door.

Three hours earlier, when she realised she was experiencing real labour pains, her first thought was of Lucius and how much she missed him. Though she did not know why she did. They had no real connection after all, just the babies he, most likely, still did not know about.

"How long have you been experiencing the pains?" Hermione's wand was instantly in her hand and a curse about to roll off her tongue before she realised it was Hatori who had spoken. He looked at her curiously.

"Has anyone ever told you not to sneak up on a witch who has gone through a war?" She asked rhetorically. "Especially a pregnant witch," she muttered.

"You are the only witch I know and you were not very forthcoming with that information until now," he answered. Hermione laughed wryly.

"Touché," she said under her breath. "I realised the pains were real three hours ago," she answered his first question. "The babies are going to be fine right?" She asked him worriedly.

"Yes," he nodded. "It is normal to deliver twins early, in your case you may even be late."

"But I'm just past eight months," Hermione said quietly, "...and I'm not a normal person."

"Neither are some of the babies I have delivered," Hatori said quietly, helping her up from the floor.

"Can you floo Healer Saski-san?" She asked. Hatori tensed, he was still apprehensive about that way of communication and travel. He could not see himself sticking his head into green flames. Hermione offered him an understanding smile, making her way towards her fireplace. Hatori beat her to the small decorative glass treasure chest she kept on her mantle and grabbed a handful of the fine powder.

"Is this enough?" He asked. She nodded and he threw it into the fire and called out his destination, disappearing into the flames. Hermione laughed.

"What is so funny?" Ayame asked before sneezing again.

"Hatori made his first floo call," Hermione answered, chuckling while she pointed to the potions she set out on the table for Ayame. "Instead of sticking his head in the flames he jumped into them and flooed away." Ayame laughed, gaining something new to tease his cousin about.

"Who did he call?" Ayame asked after catching his breath.

"Healer Saski," Hermione answered dismissively.

"Why?" Ayame frowned.

"I never want to do that again!" Hatori held his head in one hand and his stomach with another. Hermione and Ayame laughed again.

"Next time it would be better to get on your knees first then throw in the powder," the Healer smiled at the Doctor, coming out of the dying green flames.

"There will be no next time," Hatori muttered and accepted a calming draught from Hermione.

"Mister Sohma-san tells me you have been experiencing labour pains for the past three hours," Healer Saski said to Hermione.

"What!" Ayame screeched and grabbed Hermione. "Here's a pillow!" He shoved a fluffly pillow at her. "Remember to breath! I don't hear you breathing!" He shouted. "Oh! Lay down!" He pushed Hermione down onto a sofa and lifted her legs. "I don't see a head! Are they okay?! Can they breathe in there?!" He stopped when Hermione could no longer contain her laughter. "You shouldn't be laughing Mione-chan! Does it hurt at all? Are you in pain?" He continued.

"Ayame," Hatori snickered. "She is not at any of those stages yet." An amused Healer and Doctor helped a laughing Hermione sit up straight and made sure she was comfortable through the long and wearisome ensuing hours.

* * *

_Only three chapters left after this...though the sixteenth chapter is rather short..._


	14. XIV Clue: it has to do with a tree

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_A really really short disclaimer:_

_I own nothing_

_(^.^)_

* * *

XIV Trees

"Are you sure he isn't my nephew?" Yuki asked while carefully cradling the almost month old infant in his arms. Stormy grey eyes that mixed with golden honey stared up at him, and the child smiled at the dark grey eyes smiling down on him.

"I am sure," Hermione answered with a smile, adjusting her daughter under the blanket Tohru handmade for her as a welcoming present for her daughter. She brushed her daughters white-blonde curls with a finger, giving her a soft smile before Ayame relieved her of her bundle.

"Good morning Ambrosia!" He sang softly with a smile. "Do you like the dress and bonnet I made for you?" The little girl smiled before letting out a shrill cry. "Oh, someone's hungry," he chuckled, helped Hermione to stand, and guided her toward a rocking chair near a window overlooking the lake near their home.

"For something so tiny you eat more than your older brother," Hermione said to her daughter while she suckled and Tohru ushered the men out of the nursery, taking Ambrose, Hermione's son, from Yuki and placing him in the bassinet near Hermione.

"You make beautiful babies," Tohru said softly, brushing Ambrose's wavy white-blond hair with his little silver comb, then changing him into his white suit Ayame sewed to match his younger sister's dress.

"Thank you," Hermione smiled at her.

"Oh! It was nothing!" Tohru smiled. Hermione shook her head.

"You have gone above and beyond in helping me adjust to becoming a mother," Hermione smiled with tear-filled eyes. "In fact I don't want you to leave," she said sadly. "I have become used to having you here this past month and everything will be different when you, Yuki, and Kyo-san leave." They both turned at the knock on the nursery door.

"Ayame and Yuki-kun are waiting," Hatori said after he heard Tohru say it was fine to enter. Tohru tensed and Hermione placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I can take care of myself and my babies," she whispered. "I have faced Akito-san before but I don't think anything will happen in a church," she said softly. "I've made biscuits for you and Kyo-san to snack on and we will be back in an hour." Tohru nodded and placed Ambrose in the buggy next to his sister Ambrosia.

HeArT*hEaRt

Draco watched as his father carefully lifted a large piece of rubble and applied revealing charms and other spells, then vanished it before lifting another piece away from the seemingly never ending piles of stones that once made up Malfoy Manor. He had been watching his father do that for thirty minutes before deciding to join him. Severus rolled his eyes and joined Draco.

"It is three in the morning you know," he said to Lucius. Lucius ignored his brother and continued with his revealing charms and spells. "What is wrong?" Severus asked quietly. Lucius continued with his work while sorting out his thoughts.

"Just needed to get my mind off some things," he answered after a few minutes of silence.

"Or someone," Severus muttered under his breath. "Draco has been hiding something," he said conversationally.

"I know," Lucius answered. "I know him too well," he said quietly. "I just hope he is not in trouble." Severus silently agreed.

"It's an oath," Draco spoke up behind them, startling his father and causing him to drop a large piece of wall he was levitating. Lucius cursed and tried not to glare at his son, and then his tired brain registered his words.

"What kind of oath?" Lucius tried to remain calm. "Were you drunk when you swore on your magic?!" He hissed, dearly hoping his son was not that numb in the head.

"No," Draco shook his head. "Just very surprised and not thinking straight." Lucius's cheeks turned pink from anger.

"What was the oath?!" He demanded to know. Draco shook his head.

"I can't tell you because _she_ made me swear," he emphasised.

"Who is she?" Severus asked his Godson.

"H-" was all Draco could say before he felt the magic binding him to his promise. "Can you not use Legilimency on me?" He asked his Uncle. Severus shook his head.

"It is too risky," he answered dryly. "You could still risk losing your magic and your life, considering how strong the magic is binding you to your promise if you can't even speak her name." Draco gave a frustrated sigh and lifted another piece of his former home before applying revealing charms on it. Lucius and Severus followed his example.

"I hired a muggle detective to find Hermione," Lucius said quietly.

"What has he found so far?" Draco asked, interested.

"He found her father's car in an airport parking facility," he answered quietly. Severus looked interested.

"Which means she used muggle means to travel," Severus said thoughtfully. "Does he know what aeroplane she might have boarded?" Lucius shook his head.

"He said he needed special permission to view the passenger list and she has to be reported missing through the muggle authorities," he answered, frustrated. "Then only the closest relative can request permission to know which plane she boarded." They all went back to work again before Lucius made a strangled sound minutes later.

"What?" Severus and Draco asked simultaneously. Lucius pointed to the piece of wall he lifted. They looked at it closely.

"Our family tree," Draco whispered. The two wizards hurried over to the levitated wall.

"Here," Lucius breathed out, pointing to three more green leaves connected to his own, running his fingers over the new names. Severus suddenly smacked his brother's head.

"What was that for?!" Lucius hissed while rubbing the sting away.

"Hermione's leaf is connected to yours!" He hissed back. Draco's eyes bulged and he looked closer at the leaves, seeing his brother and sister's names. Tears filled his eyes because he could not find time to travel to see Hermione and his siblings when she notified him, then he glared at his father.

"How in the world did you end up married to her?" He asked his father quietly.

"I do not know," he admitted. "I never signed a marriage certificate."

"You know better then any other wizard and witch that there are different ways to marry or bind yourself to another," Severus said quietly through gritted teeth. "Considering that your two leaves are almost overlapping the other, you have something to tell us that we do not already know." In all Severus's years he had never seen Lucius Malfoy turn as red as a Weasley. Draco snickered.

"Why don't you tell us how Hermione cured you from the potion," Draco smirked knowingly. Lucius's eyes narrowed at his son.

"Why do you not tell me what you know?" He hissed.

"I know what _she_ told me, and her account was choppy. I still understood the main points though," he answered, glaring at his father.

"When did you talk to Hermione?" Severus asked.

"Wh-" Draco choked on the word. "My magic binds me," he answered. Lucius and Severus lifted an interested eyebrow.

"Was she the one who made you take the oath?" Lucius asked. Draco tried to nod but his head stood staring straight into his father's darkened grey eyes and his tongue stood stuck inside his mouth and his neck stiff.

"My magic binds me," he finally answered after a few moments.

"That must be a yes," Severus said. "When did she have you take the oath?" They could see him struggling to answer but his magic even bound him from doing that, then he smirked.

"Japanese fire pixie," he answered. Lucius rolled his eyes and Severus smirked.

"Really Draco I do not want to know about a creature you amazed your second year pupils with," he drawled. Draco and Severus rolled their eyes.

"He had to go to Japan to have their Ministry clear him bringing the pixie back to England you dolt!" Severus hit the back of Lucius's head again.

"Stop it!" He hissed, rubbing the back of his head. "She is in Japan, but where?"

"You still have not answered how you ended up married to her and why she had your children!" Severus hissed.

"We had sex!" Lucius yelled at Severus. "That is how my children ended up in her womb! Is that what you wanted to hear?!"

"He skipped the part where he broke in her cauldron," Draco muttered.

"You deflowered her!" Severus laughed. "By Merlin is there anywhere you won't stick your wand?" Draco and Lucius glared at him. "I didn't mean it like that," he said apologetically. "Hermione is a respectable young woman and must have known what was going to happen."

"Not according to her," Draco muttered.

"What!" Severus hissed and punched Lucius's jaw. "You took advantage of her?!" He yelled.

"No," Draco answered, laughing at his father, feeling he deserved the well aimed punch.

"It just seemed right at the time!" Lucius hissed back at his brother. "The cure she found was a spell-"

"That she created," Draco added.

"_Vivecare-_" Lucius continued, but Severus interrupted him again.

"To give life," he said, awed. Lucius glared, but continued.

"I drank her breast milk," he cleared his throat. "Then we had intercourse." Severus turned pink, his face taking on a pinched look. Draco and Lucius took a step back from him. He looked as though he was about to violently explode from the look of constipation his face took on. They both jumped when he did explode...in laughter.

"The brightest witch and wizard of their ages!" He roaringly laughed. "They don't even know what they did!" Lucius looked irritated and Draco looked interested. "Do you know what you did?!" He asked Lucius. "Of course you don't!" He continued laughing. "I have the only surviving text after all!" Lucius repaid Severus with a hit to the back of his head but the dark-haired wizard continued laughing.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Lucius hissed in irritation.

"She literally gave you her life's essence and you gave her yours," Severus breathed out, catching his breath. "You two started and completed a ceremony for binding your souls together!" He laughed again. "Brightest witch and wizard my arse!" Lucius stumbled, suddenly dizzy with the onslaught of new information.

"What?" He blanched. "She knew?!" He presumed and turned angry.

"No. Merlin no," Severus chuckled, holding his sore stomach. "You didn't even know. As I said I have the only surviving text on that ceremony and Hermione has not read it or even knows that it exists."

"Hermione is my step-mother," Draco squeaked then cleared his throat. "Dear sweet Nimue she's my age," he breathed.

"Hermione Malfoy," Lucius breathed. He smiled at the name and repeated it to himself. "Malfoy," he said aloud. Severus and Draco looked at him curiously. "My wife."

"Is that just hitting you now?" Severus teased. "I can hit your head again, maybe it will knock more sense into that thick skull of yours," he gratefully offered. "Merlin it all makes sense now," he chuckled. "Your 'obsession' with her…"

"What are you talking about?" Lucius asked tersely. Severus smirked.

"Your soul is seeking its 'other half'," Severus answered. "Since Hermione is nowhere near, you are constantly seeking her out, thus the obsession with finding her." Draco coughed to cover up his laugh.

"Then why is she not here seeking me out? I am sure it goes both ways," Lucius glowered at his son and best friend.

"Because she has your children to keep her mind balanced," Severus answered.

"Well I think it is time I brought our family home," Lucius said quietly, to his son and brother before pointing his wand at Hermione's leaf. "_Individuare!_" He incanted. Hermione's leaf glowed before a transparent map of the world floated over her leaf. They all leaned in and it showed a small country, then a city, then the address and picture of her location. "Take our tree home," Lucius said to Draco before turning on the spot, apparating away.

"I'll follow him," Severus sighed.

* * *

O.o

_I would like to apologise for the late update...I have been away with family for our annual camping holiday (^.^) so I had not been able to access the internet while out-of-doors...in the woods...with only a tent to sleep in and a sleeping bag for a bed...so fun.._

_Has anyone ever been Snipe Hunting? (That one never gets old lol...went Snipe Hunting with the girls in my cousin's church one summer. A girl actually caught a field mouse in her pillowcase and pretended it was a Snipe...that was an entertaining night…) My cousin and I introduced our younger family members to 'Snipe Hunting'...it was a riot lol._


	15. XV Blessings

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_I own nothing :p_

* * *

XV The Church

Ayame nervously wrung his hands while he listened the priest's sermon before blessing Hermione's babies. He felt like glaring at Hatori but knew Akito was watching his every move. Hermione placed her hand over his and smiled softly, apologetically. He held hers reassuringly, letting her know that no matter what he was and would always be there for her.

Ayame could see Akito glaring at their 'intimacy' from the corner of his eyes. Hatori and Yuki just continued listening to the priest's sermon on Family. Hermione seemed confident that Akito would not cause a disturbance and her surrogate father, Kingsley, sat next to her, giving her the confidence she needed while Ayame gave her comfort.

"Where the parents of these children?" The priest asked the six adults. Hermione and Ayame stood up, Ayame even more nervous then before because he was standing before a representative of the Lord and lying that these were his children. He jumped back when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

"If you don't mind." He and Hermione turned at the familiar voice and they both tensed, Hermione reaching for her wand that was not there. She silently cursed herself when she remembered she left it at home, not wanting to bring it into a church.

"What are you doing here?!" Kingsley hissed at the man.

"If you don't mind," Lucius Malfoy drawled. "I am claiming my children before God so that he may bless them." Hermione let out a sob.

"How did you find us?" She whispered. Lucius moved toward her but Ayame blocked his path to Hermione.

"If you do not mind I would like to comfort my wife!" He hissed quietly.

"Your wife!" Several different voices yelled or breathed out quietly.

"I knew you are a slut!" Akito's voice rose. Lucius turned and glared at the woman.

"She is no more a slut than you are!" He bit out at the now livid woman.

"What?!" Kingsley yelled at Severus. He glared at the elder Malfoy. "Soul-bound," he muttered, then laughed while Severus smirked. Hermione gave them a confused glance while slowly moving toward her children. Her mind was on their safety only and not paying full attention to the scene playing out before her.

"Why are you protecting her?! You should be protecting me!" Akito yelled at Yuki and Ayame while Hatori tried to calm her. "Tohru will have her memories erased and after there's a special dark room waiting for the both-"

Hermione walked toward her, pointing her finger at the now silenced woman. "_No one_," she hissed, "and I mean no one threatens my family!" Akito blanched and started backing away from her. "I have tolerated you and your threats enough! You even tried to terminate my pregnancy!"

"WHAT!" Lucius Malfoy roared, swiftly moving toward the woman, knocking everyone who blocked him out of his way. He lifted her off the ground, shaking her. "I have killed, tortured, and maimed people more innocent then you," he hissed in her face. She visibly trembeled in his hands. "Why is she not in Azkaban?!" He yelled at Kingsley.

"Hermione-"

"Right," Lucius breathed and threw the woman on the ground. "Get out of my sight!" He hissed. "LEAVE!" He roared. Hatori picked the trembling woman up and carried her out of the church.

"What are you doing here Mister Malfoy?" Hermione whispered after they were gone and the sound of the chapel doors closing echoed throughout the silent building. Lucius took in a deep breath to calm himself then turned to Hermione.

"I have come to take my wife and children home," he said quietly.

"Okay, but why are you here? In this church?" She asked softly, holding back her tears at the newfound knowledge that he had found himself another wife during her absence, and they had children together.

"As I said," Lucius smiled while moving slowly toward Hermione, hearing Ayame and someone else snicker and Severus smother his chuckles in the background, but ignored them. "I have come to take my wife and children home."

"Are they around?" Hermione asked, looking for another woman in the open chapel and looked back at him in confusion.

"Yes," Lucius chuckled. "My wife is most definitely around." Hermione bit back a sob.

"Perhaps I know her," she breathed out, trying not to choke.

"You most definitely know her," Lucius answered quietly, then grabbed Hermione bringing her close to his heart and holding her there. "In fact, you know her quite well, even better then me," he said quietly.

"Mister Malfoy-"

"Lucius, my darling, you must call me Lucius my dear, sweet Hermione," his chest rumbled with his lowly spoken words,

"Mister Malfoy!" Hermione's voice rose. "What would your wife say?"

"I do not know," he laughed. "What would you say Hermione?"

"I would be angry if I found my husband holding another woman so intimately!" She said while struggling to remove herself from his iron strong arms. He leaned closer to her ear.

"Then it is a good thing that I would only hold my wife this intimately," he whispered, his hot breath brushing over her ear. She gasped.

"What-"

His mouth was on hers, over hers, his tongue sliding inside her mouth when she gasped at the intensity of his kiss. He groaned when she kissed him back, holding her closer to himself. They both felt it...the completion of their souls. Hermione sobbed and pushed herself away.

"Please," she cried silently. "Leave me and my children be and take your wife home," she sobbed openly. "Leave me be," she whispered brokenly. Lucius held her close while she struggled to remove himself from her.

"Hermione you are my wife!" His voice echoed over the rafters of the church. Hermione stilled "You are my wife!" He whispered to the stunned witch, holding her ever closer to himself.

"I don't understand," Hermione finally spoke up against his chest. He laughed and looked down into her tear filled brown eyes.

"You know the cure you found for the Dark Lord's potion?" He asked. Hermione nodded. "We bound our souls together," he whispered. Hermione was speechless. Two wizards and three muggles smiled at the couple while snickering behind their hands.

"What?" Hermione finally asked after a few moments. Lucius laughed and kissed her yet again, melting against her lips and she against his. "Am I dreaming?" She whispered. Lucius smirked and pinched her derriere. "Ouch!" Hermione glared up at him.

"Well now you know you are not dreaming," he laughed. Hermione smiled at his chest and looked up then gasped as the reality dawned on her.

"Let me go," she said tersely. Lucius looked down at her in confusion. "I will not let you hurt my babies!" She said fiercely, pushing against his chest to get away. Lucius continued holding onto her.

"Never!" He hissed. "I will never allow anyone to hurt my children! Our children," he whispered just as fierce as she did. "Not even myself!" He added for her. Hermione looked up at him in disbelief. "I know you over heard my conversation between Draco and myself and that is one of my biggest regrets," he looked down at the pews in shame. "If I could go back in time and tell myself to shut the hell up I would do so."

"Still-"

"I swear to you on my magic, on my ancestor's magic that I would never intentionally harm one hair on any of our children's heads!" He voice echoed throughout the chapel. Hermione sobbed and threw herself against his chest, kissing his neck, his eyes. Every part of his face that she could reach was left untouched by her lips as he leaned into her.

"I don't think they hear you outside Lucius," she whispered. He roared with laughter, Hermione looking up at him in awe and amusement.

"I am so sorry," he kissed her chastely, apologising with butterfly kisses, not leaving any part of her face untouched by his lips. "I am so sorry that I gave you the impression that I would ever harm one of my children," he whispered, holding her, breathing in her scent he had memorised and dreamed about for so long now and he found he could not hold her any tighter without hurting or breaking his precious wife so his kissed her deeply to compensate.

"I love you Hermione," he breathed after finally releasing her lips. "I never gave up hope in finding you, I searched everyday believe me. I know you cannot possibly return my love right now, but I will await the day you finally bless me with it until the day I die, even then I will continue to wait and give you my undying love," he said quietly, uncaring of their spectators overhearing his confession.

"Did you memorise that?" Hermione asked with a smile. Lucius shook his head.

"I just told you what I felt," he admitted.

"Thank you for being honest," Hermione whispered. "I love you too," she admitted and they shared a laugh together.

"As much as I love you more, I also want to have a look at the beautiful children you have blessed me with," Lucius smiled. Hermione happily pulled him toward the priest who smiled at them with twinkling eyes.

"Are you ready now?" He asked the blushing mother and a smiling father. They both nodded, Hermione with a sheepish expression. "Our dear Lord and Saviour," the priest began, "we call upon thee and ask for your blessing upon your son Ambrose Edmund Gra-"

"Malfoy," Lucius politely interrupted.

"We ask for your blessing upon your son Ambrose Edmund Malfoy and your daughter Ambrosia Edith Malfoy, and ask that you offer your guidance to them throughout their lives and continue to bless them with great magic," he priest said and smirked at his stunned 'flock' and winked. "We thank thee for the blessing of having your precious son and daughter to bless our lives with their words and laughter and ask that you allow them to continue to bless us with their presence all the days of our lives. In this we beg of thee and most graciously thank thee in the name of thy son, our Lord and Saviour, Amen."

"Thank you so much," Hermione smiled at the priest as he handed her, her son and Lucius his daughter. Lucius looked down at his white bundle in silent awe and felt a surge of protectiveness overtake him.

"Thank you," he whispered to Hermione, trying to keep the tears out of his eyes. "She is beautiful just like her mother," he smiled at her. Hermione blushed. Lucius looked down at his son with a soft smile.

"He is an exact copy of his father," she smiled as he led them out of the church and into the courtyard.

"Do you go to church every Sunday?" Lucius asked.

"No," Hermione answered. "I don't really believe in just one higher being," she admitted. "This was something I promised my parents that I would do," she said solemnly and he embraced her and held her firmly into his side.

"Well then we shall endeavour to keep that promise and have every one of our children blessed," Lucius smiled. Hermione's breath caught in her throat.

"You want more children?" She whispered, gazing up into the grey eyes of the husband she did not know she had and felt safe, loved when he looked down at her.

"I want as many as you want," he answered with a kiss.

* * *

_...this was originally supposed to be the last chapter, but then I added the next (which is shorter :p) a few days later._


	16. XVI Home Again

Viventibus Mortem

* * *

_Still own nothing :p_

* * *

XVI Home

Hermione once again stood before her childhood home, taking in the bricks that made up the outside, the vines that covered the red bricks on the left side of the house. She smiled and looked to see Ayame eyeing her with concern. She squeezed his hand to reassure him that she was fine, more then fine because she had her family and surrogate family with her.

"Can we just go in already?" Kyo muttered. Hermione chuckled and led the group into the entry hall.

"I should just remind you-" Hermione started worriedly.

"We already swore," Kyo interrupted her. Hermione glared at him, inwardly smirking when he squirmed.

"Would you like to be a mouse again?" She asked. He blanched and closed his mouth.

"You have a lovely home Hermione-san," Tohru smiled.

"It is your home now too Tohru," Hermione smiled back. "Remember, here in this country it is just Hermione without the -san." Tohru nodded, determined to use the correct greetings and names.

"Thank you Hermione," Yuki said quietly.

"You're home now," she smiled at him. "As long as you want this to be your home it will remain so," she said softly to the three teenagers.

"Hermione!" A red streak barrelled into said witch.

"Ginny," Hermione breathed from loss of air. "I missed you too," she whispered hugging Ginny back.

"I'm so glad you're home. You have to see James!" Ginny gushed over her own child, not noticing the buggy standing next her and Lucius, with two matching pairs of grey eyes looking up at the redhead.

"James?" Hermione asked. "Harry's and your son?" Ginny nodded, pulling Hermione into the sitting room where she was grabbed by Harry and tightly embraced.

"We wanted to wait until you came home to ask you," Ginny smiled.

"Ask me what?" Hermione asked, rubbing her already sore ribs.

"To be James's Godmother," Harry smiled. Ginny elbowed him.

"I wanted to be the one to tell her!" She pouted. Hermione laughed.

"I will say yes if you two say yes," she smiled.

"Yes to what?" They both asked. Hermione turned towards Lucius and he pushed the buggy closer to the Potter family. Ginny gasped and Harry turned purple, glaring at Lucius.

"If you would be Ambrose's Godparents," Lucius drawled.

"Of course!" Ginny squealed.

"What did you do?!" Harry hissed at Lucius. He lifted a neatly groomed eyebrow and smirked.

"I simply brought my wife and children home," the blond wizard answered. Harry's fist was planted in his jaw the next second.

* * *

_The document for this chapter sat open on my laptop for over a month before I finally decided that I was not going to add anything else (^.^') so I just left Lucius with a bruised jaw, a smug Harry who hid all the bruising salve, and a fussing Hermione who decided she had to brew more salve because Severus thought Lucius looked better with the black bruise and Draco just kept smirking, to Lucius's annoyance lol..._

_Anyway...I just want to say thank you to those who took the time to read this short story and, again, thank those who decided to leave a review (^.^)_

_Thank You!_


End file.
